new thread up for Thursday.

As for this being the best since 2009, i think the 2011 team was very good, final four quality, but got jobbed by the bracket and the overloaded regional at the SSC

18. UH lost a great middle and an inconsistent OH, but returns everyone else and is a veteran team with lots of experience. Assuming her injury is not serious, Annie Mitchem should fill in nicely for the departed Olivia Magill. Biggest question mark is replacing Olevao at the OH position. Assuming a suitable replacement is found, and the setting and passing improves, then this squad is a legitimate final four team. UH ended up ranked 7 last year so 6 is very reasonable. Also remember that in addition to Taylor, UH had a great middle attack and was one of the top blocking team in the nation last year. It’s not just about the OHs.

After losing to UH in the sweet 16 last year, Penn State graduated two big outsides in Whitney and Courtney, both 2nd team all-Americans. They still have a couple of very good players including first team all-American Washington, but my sense is that this team is trending down from years past. Even Russ Rose lamented about something missing in last year’s team. PSU ended last year at nine and remain there in the preseason poll. PSU is good but no longer otherworldly.

Stanford ended last year at 14 after being swept on its home court by Loyola Marymount in the second round of the tournament. Big upset. The team lost Howard, Bugg, and Burgess from its last monster recruiting class, return AVCA freshman of the year Hodson, and redshirt senior Ajanaku from injury. They also return 6’8″ MB Lutz. They have another monster recruiting class that includes top setter Gray, 6’6″ OH Plummer, and 6’6″ MB Fitzmorris. Their top-ranked recruiting class has senior aces #2, 3, 14, 22, and 31. Amazing group but they are still freshmen. Ranked 11, they have the potential to rise.

Final thought…this preseason poll is at best a guess. Take it with a grain of salt. Voters use last year’s final poll as a starting point and then make adjustments based on returnees, graduations and recruits–at least they should. Some make little effort at all. Personally, I think it makes sense to hold a poll after the non-conference is over, then the rankings will better reflect current year teams’ quality.

But make no mistake: UH is the real deal this year and is Shoji’s best squad since the 2009 final four team.

2005 featured a pair of All-America returnees – Kanoe Kamana’o and Victoria Prince, along with 2004 all-WAC honorees Alicia Arnott, Susie Boogaard, Ashley Watanabe, Tara Hittle and Juliana Sanders. They added lone recruit Jamie Houston and activated 2004 redshirts Jessica Keefe and Nickie Thomas.

Although they returned all seven starters, Shoji made changes in the lineup, switching OPP Hittle to the OH position, and moving Boogaard from OH to OPP. Unfortunately, Hittle was injured in pre-season practice, and newcomer Sarah Mason – a transfer from Oregon – started the opener. Mason also went down in that match, which opened the door for Houston.

Arnott, their topscoring OH from 2004 and an All-Region HM, missed a few matches due to illness and ended up losing her starting job permanently.

The trio of Houston, Mason and Hittle ended up taking turns at the two OH spots for most of the season. Prince and Sanders were in the middle, Kamana’o was the setter, with Boogaard opposite, and Watanabe was libero.

Hawaii fell to Missouri in the round of 16 after defeating Texas 3-1 in the second round. Houston had 20 kills and hit over .500 in the Texas match.

Kamana’o and Prince repeated as All-America selections. Watanabe was named to the All-Region HM list, the highest honor achieved by any UH libero. Sanders and Mason made first team All-WAC, while Boogaard, Houston and Hittle earned second team honors. Kamana’o was WAC POY for 2nd consecutive season.