Having reached the Super Regionals last season, the University of Hawai'i softball team knew there would be pressure to succeed this season.

The Western Athletic Conference added to the stress yesterday when it announced the Rainbows were preseason favorites to win the league title in a vote by the conference's coaches. The Rainbows got six of the seven first-place votes (coaches could not vote for their own team). Fresno State, picked to finish second, had the other first-place vote.

Moreover, the Rainbows, who won the regular season title but lost the WAC tournament championship held at Fresno State, will be hosting the conference tournament, May 7 to 10, at Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium.

"When we had our run going (last year), everyone started feeling that this team was special," UH coach Bob Coolen said. "Going into this year, it was a matter of they can't let down; we still have unfinished business because we didn't win the WAC tournament and we're hosting it this year.

"So we pretty much have a lot of pressure on us now because we're No. 1 and we're hosting the WAC tournament. (Our players') goals are pretty much elevated. It's not a matter of 'Let's go out and see how good we are.' They know they're good. Now, it's just a matter of sustaining what we did last year."

The climb became steeper with the loss of pitcher Justine Smethurst (19-9, 1.73 ERA), who is skipping her junior season to play with the Australia national team. Also, last year's WAC Player of the Year, Tyleen Tausaga, completed her eligibility.

But it's not like the cupboard's empty. First baseman Kate Robinson is the preseason pick as WAC Player of the Year. She is among six Rainbows on the preseason All-WAC team. The others are catcher Kate Grimes, third baseman Clare Warwick, shortstop Valana Manuma, outfielder Kaulana Gould and at-large (utility player) Audrey Andrade.

Robinson said last year's success has taught the Rainbows how to win.

"It does give us more confidence knowing that we can compete with top teams," she said. "Now, we're not the easy win for the other teams. We're the ones who want to beat everybody else."

Reach Stacy Kaneshiro at skaneshiro@honoluluadvertiser.com.