In the out-of-uniform experience of a libero — a volleyball position many still don't quite understand — you only truly know you have made it when your team misses you. This week's fourth Chevron Rainbow Wahine Invitational will present a distinctly Hawaiian spin on that theory.

Tenth-ranked Hawai'i (4-2) had its liberos from the past two years injured and in sweats on the bench at its last match. Senior Tara Hittle, an all-conference hitter, has started every match at libero and earned all-tournament honors last week despite acknowledging the restrictions on the position can complicate her volleyball life.

"I have to convert," said Hittle, who said her volleyball future would probably be as a libero. "I can't even jump at libero pretty much ... it's a completely different mindset."

Liberos are defensive players who wear a different color jersey and only play backrow, coming in for two frontrow players, but serving for just one. Rules prevent them from blocking, setting overhand (a bump set is OK) inside the 10-foot line and attacking a ball above the top of the net.

Sophomore Liz Ka'aihue, last year's UH starter, was finally back in practice yesterday morning after a month-long break to completely heal a sprained knee.

"I'm just wearing a knee brace to make sure I don't do it again," Ka'aihue said. "I was playing again after our scrimmage (Aug. 23) and that week I re-aggravated it. I decided to just sit back, relax and let it heal finally."

Jayme Lee, the walk-on who helped salvage the 2006 Rainbow Wahine season at libero, is again suffering from shoulder problems that slowed her last year. She was out Sunday and didn't practice yesterday. UH coach Dave Shoji characterizes her status as "week to week."

"It's hard, frustrating to be out because you feel you can't contribute to making the team better," Lee said. "It's just hard on you mentally to be out because you're not doing what everybody else is doing, you just watch. At the same time, you know you're working hard to make yourself better and get back on the court."

Shoji's suddenly complicated depth chart at libero now reads Hittle-Ka'aihue-Lee, with Aneli Cubi-Otineru, another all-conference hitter, in the backrow bullpen. He calls Ka'aihue "very, very rusty," but so instinctive he believes she will catch up quickly. He says the best, healthy passer will start and be determined "week to week."

Ninth-ranked Washington (5-0), which plays Hawai'i Saturday, has been locked in at libero since Tamari Miyashiro graduated from Kalani High School. The redshirt junior has started all three seasons and earned third-team All-America honors last year when she averaged 5.65 digs a game. She was MVP of last week's Northwest Challenge and Shoji calls her one of the top five liberos in the country.

Dancyne Kama, a Kamehameha-Hawai'i graduate, is starting libero for Pacific (0-5), the 'Bows' Friday opponent. She is averaging a team-high 3.67 digs. The Rainbow Wahine open the Invitational against unbeaten Saint Mary's, whose starting libero is Alita Fisher, from Washington. She had a remarkable 39 digs in a sweep of Fresno State last year.

The Gaels and Tigers, coached by former UH assistant Charlie Wade, each have three Hawai'i players. Most played on the Imi Ike club team, founded by Wade and now coached by UH assistants Ryan Tsuji, Mike Sealy, Kari Ambrozich and former Rainbow Wahine Aven Lee.

QUICK SETS

There are seven former Imi Ike players in this tournament (Ka'aihue, Dani Mafua, Kanani Herring, Kapua Kamana'o, Megan Burton, Chanteal Satele and Rebekah Torres). The unofficial "Imi Ike reunion classic" has been on their minds for months, and was used by UOP and Saint Mary's as an enticement to recruit Hawai'i players.

Former Rainbow Wahine volleyball players Joselyn Robins ('96) and Jenny Wilton ('95) joined former UH trainer Melody Toth at her first book signings Sunday. Toth just published "Let's Go 'Bows! Behind the Scenes with University of Hawai'i Sports." The book details some of the most memorable moments in her 30-year career spent taking care of UH athletes.

Nahaku Brown ('81) and Lee Ann Satele ('83) also came to support Toth. All four, along with other athletes and coaches, plan to be at some of her remaining book signings, including two special events to raise money for the UH Athletic Training Foundation.

Olympic silver medalist Robyn Ah Mow-Santos ('96) will make an appearance and sign books with Toth this Friday at Phiten Hawai'i (Pacific Guardian Tower, 1440 Kapi'olani Blvd.), with 30 percent of book sales benefiting the foundation. The signing is from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Phiten will give a free titanium bracelet (while supplies last) to those who purchase a copy of the book.