Throughout fall camp, HawaiiAthletics.com will provide a position-by-position breakdown of the 2017 Rainbow Wahine volleyball team, leading up to their season opener against Marquette, Aug. 25 as part of the Texaco Rainbow Wahine Invitational.
Position Breakdown: Outside Hitters | Middle Hitters | Setters | Defensive Specialists

HONOLULU--Going into the second week of practices, one of the things that is clear to first year University of Hawai'i women's volleyball head coach Robyn Ah Mow-Santos is her starting libero.
 
Savanah Kahakai has been the starting libero for the Wahine volleyball team since her sophomore year. Now as a senior, Ah Mow-Santos is happy with how far she's seen Kahakai come from when she coached her in club. Her court presence and ability to speak to the girls as a leader and run the court is what has landed her the role of starting libero. Kahakai started all 29 matches last season and became the 14^th member of the Rainbow Wahine 1,000 career dig club. As a junior she tied her career-high of 23 digs in a match four times and notched double-digit digs in 23 matches.
 
"This is the one I know, Savanah's is our starting libero" Ah Mow-Santos said. "I gave the others an option, I said 'That's the libero. If you guys want to beat her out, be my guest. That means we're getting better.'
  
Clare-Marie Anderson is coming in to her senior season hoping to provide leadership in anyway that she can while seeing more time on the court as a serving sub as a defensive specialist. Anderson, who is one of the hardest workers on the team, appeared in 27 matches last season while tallying 34 digs on the season—including a career-high 10 against Wisconsin.
 
Fellow senior Gianna Guinasso has proven what she can do as a steady server and has shown improvement in her defensive work. She is currently out on an injury but is looking hopeful to be cleared to play by the start of season. Last season Guinasso played in 23 matches and is looking to see that role increase.
 
After redshirting last season, Rika Okino has impressed the coaching staff with her work ethic and is coming along as a defensive specialist. Okina is a 2016 graduate of Kalani High School where she was an all-league selection in volleyball as well as a valedictorian.
 
Rainbow Wahine freshman Janelle Gong has made her first appearances on the court as a defensive specialist. After playing as an outside hitter for Campolindo High School, Ah Mow-Santos is still trying to see what she can bring to her new team in her new position.
 
Much of the first week of practice was spent on passing being one of the keys to running the offense. The Rainbow Wahine look to be solid in the libero/defensive specialist roles. Ah Mow-Santos is encouraging the competition between her players and has made her expectations clear for what they need to do in order to be put in that position.
 
"I told them when I came here, all I want my liberos and DS's to do is run my back court," Ah Mow-Santos said. "You have to run the passing, you have to know what serve is coming, run my defense. That's all we worked on in the spring. I didn't ask for perfect passes or perfect digs, I want to see them learn to run the court."