It is ironic that, while all else appears to be in a state of flux a week into volleyball practice, wild and crazy Tara Hittle is providing a sense of stability.

The Rainbow Wahine junior was sorely missed last year, going out five matches into the season with "bone issues" in her right leg and ankle. She took much of Hawai'i's ballhandling and sense of humor with her. The 'Bows eventually found enough ball control to reach the elite eight, but no one could replace Hittle's rare gift for whimsical leadership.

When UH coach Dave Shoji asked the team to vote for captains this year, he was pleasantly surprised at how many names popped up on ballots, and not surprised in the least that Hittle showed up on nearly every one.

"Having Hittle back in the mix provides some great leadership," associate coach Kari Ambrozich said. "She's kind of the core of this, the soul of this team. People play better around her and relax. That helps a lot."

Particularly in a season starting with pretty much every position up for grabs, despite five returning starters. The void four-time All-American Kanoe Kamana'o left is gaping enough that voters dropped Hawai'i in at 10th in yesterday's preseason poll.

But one look at Hittle, healthy again, is cause for calm. She insists she is not worried about a setback — "It's not like I hurt an ACL or ligament, it was a bone in my case ... how am I going to hurt my bone?" — and calls herself "100 percent" with that what-me-worry grin.

Her exceptional jump is the last piece of her physical puzzle to come back after an eight-month layoff, and still she is again able to touch the basketball rim (10 feet).

Shoji is not sure she is all the way back, but both he and Hittle will take what fate has given. "She's not the player she would have been, but she's still pretty good," he said. "I'm so happy to have her back."

It bothers him that the 2004 WAC Freshman of the Year has been so battered the last two years — "She basically played hurt her sophomore year and didn't play at all last year" — she might never reach her magnificent potential. What remains is still special. Even Hittle's injury-racked second season earned all-WAC second-team recognition. Conference coaches voted her preseason all-WAC this year.

She came to Hawai'i after lifting her team to a state high school championship in Colorado, between homecoming and prom queen gigs. Few people who have met Hittle here have stopped smiling since.

Even last year's difficult transition, from the healthy semi-celebrity of "Rainbow Wahine volleyball player" to the more mundane-sounding, and often-on-crutches "UH student," brought her some joy. Hittle took silent pride in her teammates' gritty late-season surge and had time for valuable introspection.

"You realize what you do have, how blessed you are in what you do, how fortunate we are to play volleyball and even walk," Hittle said. "I was on crutches two months. At that point I just thought I'd love to walk again.

"My spiritual life grew a lot. I became a lot closer to God. That really helped me find out more about my purpose in life — who I am without volleyball."

Shoji believes Hittle is at least as good as she was two years ago, before an ankle injury led to two seasons of struggle. Hittle's aim now is simply to be the best player she can, whatever that is at this stage in her life — "I didn't want to come back and suck" — and make the most of being the wild-and-crazy captain.

"I notice I get a lot more calls from the coaches now, telling me about all these little things," she said. "I'm really honored the team has that faith and trust in me. I love these guys. I just want to be there for them."

NOTES

Hawai'i's No. 10 ranking in yesterday's CSTV/AVCA Coaches Top 25 Preseason Poll marks the third straight year, and seventh time in the last eight seasons, that UH has opened in the Top 10.

Three Rainbow Wahine opponents are in the Top 25 — top-ranked Nebraska (Oct. 21 at Lincoln), fifth-ranked UCLA (Sept. 3) and 24th-ranked Santa Clara (Sept. 8). Five opponents are receiving votes but not ranked — Louisville, New Mexico State, Colorado State, Wichita State and Michigan, which opens the 'Bows' season Aug. 24. Seven teams from last year's NCAA Tournament are on the schedule.

Coach Dave Shoji and freshman Stephanie Ferrell will miss the next two days of practice. Shoji is traveling to Mexico to watch his youngest son, Erik, play for the U.S. youth national team. Ferrell is returning to Los Angeles to attend her grandmother's funeral.

Reach Ann Miller at amiller@honoluluadvertiser.com.