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HONOLULU – Head Coach Dave Shoji's 41st season officially got underway as the University of Hawai'i Rainbow Wahine volleyball team held its first team practice on Monday morning in the Stan Sheriff Center. The 'Bows are preparing for UH's season opening tournament, the Chevron Rainbow Wahine Invitational (Aug. 28-30) with Idaho, Wichita State and Oregon State all coming to Honolulu.

Hawai'i, which was picked to reclaim the Big West title in the recent coaches' poll, returns 12 letterwinners--including five starters. Middle hitter Olivia Magill earned AVCA All-America honorable mention and all-Big West first team honors last season. Magill, who is a senior this year, led the conference last season in hitting percentage (.405) and blocks per game (1.34). Also returning are all-Big West first team members Tai Manu-Olevao and Nikki Taylor. Manu-Olevao led UH with 289 kills and was second on the team with 34 aces last year as a junior. Taylor finished 2014 with 239 kills and 79 total blocks. The Rainbow Wahine returnees also includes Big West all-freshman team player Kalei Greeley and starting setter Tayler Higgins who will be a junior this year. Overall UH returns 12 players from a 22-7 squad that advanced to the second round of the NCAA tournament
 
Pushing the returnees will be one of the tallest incoming class in UH history. The three freshmen include two outside hitters—Casey Castillo who is 6-3 and McKenna Granato who is 6-0 and 6-5 middle hitter Natasha Burns. Highly touted junior college transfer Annie Mitchem is 6-2 and can play all six positions in the rotation.

The 'Bows posted a 22-7 overall record and finished second in the Big West with a 13-3 conference mark in 2014 while advancing to its 33rd NCAA tournament.