Hawai'i's Nick Rhodes might be the first from his team to take a conference honor this season, but that doesn't mean he is taking his place in the starting rotation for granted.

The senior left-hander from Newport Beach, Calif., was named Western Athletic Conference Pitcher of the Week yesterday after working 8 2/3 scoreless innings against two-time league champion Fresno State on Friday. He allowed two singles and two walks, while striking out a career-high 11 in a 2-0 win.

"Even though I don't offer power, my curveball has a pretty sharp 12-6 break," Rhodes said. "Any time that's working I'm able to strike guys out. When my two off-speed pitches (curve and changeup) are on and I can locate my fastball, I can be pretty successful."

But Rhodes knows that one award doesn't make a season. The win against FSU was just his third start of the season. He had a complete game March 8 in a 4-2 loss to Long Beach State in which he struck out nine and walked one. But he went only one-plus innings in a 13-4 loss at UC Irvine, where he gave up six runs.

"I can't be complacent," said Rhodes, who is 1-2 with a 5.47 earned run average. "I've been fortunate to be in the rotation here. I still need to keep solidifying myself, to keep proving myself, keep coming out and performing like this. That's my No. 1 thing right now: stay on an even keel."

Last season, Rhodes was 0-2 with a 3.68 ERA and used primarily as a reliever, having made just two starts. He came here via Cypress (Calif.) College. He also was being recruited by UC Irvine, which is near his hometown, and Oral Roberts. But just as Hawai'i high school players sometimes want to play away from home, it was the same for Rhodes.

"I wanted to get away, have a college experience away from home," Rhodes said of his decision to choose UH. "Both (UH and UCI) were very attractive, but I think getting away has been a life-changing experience for me and has molded me into the person that I am today."

With the 23-year-old Rhodes in Hawai'i, California has become a middle ground for the family. He has brothers from coast to coast. And even in another country.

Younger brother Ryan, 22, is close to receiving a business degree from Chapman College in California. His older brothers — half-brothers actually — are successful in their own right farther away from home.

Paul, 28, is in commercial real estate on the East Coast. His oldest brother, Dusty, is a F-18 fighter pilot in the Navy and recently left for Iraq. Dusty, a 35-year-old Naval Academy graduate, did sorties in 2001 in Afghanistan. When he returned, he was sent to the U.S. Navy Fighter Weapons School, better known as Top Gun, where he graduated in the upper two percent of his class, Rhodes said.

"I see all my brothers as role models," Rhodes said. "But I'd like to say the one that's set the bar is my brother Dusty. He's the one that really drives me to succeed in life. He's set the bar high for all of us."

Perhaps it's the reason Rhodes is wasting little time in preparing for the future. The speech major is on track to graduate in May. He already has interviewed with a finance company called CapNet, which is based in Los Angeles.

"They recruit college athletes to work for their company because of the culture, dedication, drive that student athletes have. It's an option for me right now."

Obviously, Hawai'i had a tough decision in nominating a Pitcher of the Week candidate because Jared Alexander was just as deserving after his complete-game, four-hitter in a 4-0 win against the Bulldogs in the series opener. He beat Tanner Scheppers, a potential high-round draft pick.

New Mexico State outfielder Franky Busani was named WAC Hitter of the Week. He went 7 for 14, including two doubles and two home runs, with seven RBIs in helping the Aggies take 3 of 4 from San Jose State over the weekend.

HIT THE ROAD

The Rainbows (9-15 overall, 2-2 WAC) depart tomorrow for California for a nine-game road trip.

They start with a four-game WAC series at Sacramento State starting Friday. Since the Hornets' facility has no lights, all of the games will be during the day.

Hawai'i then plays at No. 17 Stanford on April 1. That will be UH's 10th game against a nationally ranked team.

The Rainbows return to WAC play with a four-game series at San Jose State April 4 to 6.

HOT RECRUITS

Two UH recruits for 2009 are having hot starts at their respective junior colleges.

Outfielder Christian Johnson ('Iolani '06) leads Central Arizona with a .421 batting average, 29 runs, 12 doubles and two home runs. His 23 RBIs is third-highest on the team.

Also, third baseman Colby Ho (Kaiser '06) leads Palomar College with a .434 batting average. He has six doubles, two home runs and 21 RBIs.