After a one-week hiatus from the national rankings, the University of Hawai'i is No. 25 in this week's ESPN.com/USA Today Softball Collegiate Top 25 Poll.

The Rainbow Wahine (23-5) went 7-0 last week, including winning all six of their games in the Hawaiian Airlines Spring Fling Tournament.

While many coaches usually downplay in-season polls, UH's Bob Coolen said the Rainbows can use the ranking as supporting material in an argument for a postseason berth.

"It'll help us down the road when (the selection committee members) see that we were in the top 25 a couple of times," Coolen said.

The Rainbows' success can be traced to power hitting (they are one short of tying the school record for home runs in a season), effective starting pitching (Kate Robinson has won the No. 2 job behind ace Justine Smethurst) and reliable defense.

Coolen praised catcher Stacey Yamada's pitch calling.

When it was decided to keep Kaulana Gould at center field, the competition opened behind the plate. Yamada, who was the bullpen catcher last year, was experienced in working with each of the pitchers in practices and warmups.

"Stacey has that resume," Coolen said. "She caught them over and over, and saw what they were capable of. She doesn't say much. But when they're mechanically doing something they can correct, Stacey can see it and point it out."

In today's opener of the Bank of Hawai'i Invitational, the Rainbows play Liberty at 4 p.m. and California at 6 p.m.