Before the fourth-ranked University of Hawai'i volleyball team plays in the feature game of tomorrow's opening night of the Hawaiian Airlines Wahine Volleyball Classic, there will be a quiet, but much-anticipated homecoming for another player earlier in the day.

University of Texas libero Sydney Yogi, a 2008 Punahou graduate from Honolulu, and the second-ranked Longhorns play No. 10 California at 5 p.m.

"I think the last time I played in the (Stan Sheriff Center) was my junior year in the state championship," said Yogi. "I remember that we lost that match."

Yogi hopes for a different result this time. The Longhorns bring an impressive resume to the Islands. Texas has a record of 102-22 dating to the 2005 season with Big 12 co-championships in 2007 and 2008. The Longhorns are coming off a final four appearance, having lost to Stanford in the national semifinal.

"We fell short and we're not happy about that," Yogi said. "We have that bad taste in our mouths from that match and we don't want it to happen again."

Texas lost just two seniors to graduation and figures to be in the national championship picture come December.

"We have an experienced team, but we're still planning on trying to work some things out in this tournament," Texas coach Jerritt Elliott said. "We're trying to get tested to show some of our weaknesses, because we want to learn as much as we can during the year. These matches will be a great test. It's going to be very, very tough against some high-caliber teams and what a great place to play."

Yogi, a sophomore defensive specialist, battled nagging leg injuries last season, but has recovered and is "100 percent.

"It was just a minor leg problem," she said. "It started really early in the season and kind of plagued me. It definitely was hard."

Elliott said Yogi has shown much improvement in the offseason and figures to see more court time this year.

"She's one of our sparkplugs for us and a great ball-control player for us," Elliott said. "She's the best defender on the team and her serve-receive game has gotten better. Sydney's really developed in the last year."

The engagement may have never come if Yogi had not extended herself as a Punahou freshman.

"We were playing in a regional tournament in Austin and we got to go on a tour of the University of Texas," Yogi recalled. "I remember sitting in the locker room and coach Elliot was talking about the program and how they do things. So I raised my hand and asked him, 'Would you ever recruit someone like me?' "

Elliott said: "I told her absolutely, if you have the right work ethic and drive and can play."

It was then that Yogi knew Austin was where she wanted to be.

"It was the feeling and atmosphere of the campus and how the people had so much pride in their team," Yogi said. "I feel that aloha spirit a little bit in Austin ... the family atmosphere and support from the town."

Yogi and her teammates arrived in Honolulu Monday after taking a pair of matches from Long Beach State and San Diego over the weekend.

"It was nice to get a taste of some different competition besides ourselves," Yogi said. "It's definitely good to be home, but wearing burnt orange in the arena will be different."

Texas plays Hawai'i at 7 p.m. Saturday.

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