After 35 years and 1,158 matches, Rainbow Wahine volleyball coach Dave Shoji still likes going to work at the University of Hawai'i. What's not to like? This season he should become only the second in his profession — after close friend Andy Banachowski of UCLA — with 1,000 wins.

Shoji goes into this year, which officially opens today with the start of two-a-day practices, with 984 wins, four national championships and top-10 rankings at the end of all but five seasons.

"It has been a long time," Shoji agreed. "If I thought there was any drop in our level of competitiveness or my level of enthusiasm, then I'd think about stepping away. I'm excited about the season. Our level is as high as it's been in recent years. Our expectations are high and we have a good recruiting class backed up one to two years now so everything is pretty good."

Now, if the 'Bows can just get by the first month of the season. Of the 11 matches before the Western Athletic Conference starts, nine are against teams that made the NCAA Tournament last season. That includes NCAA runner-up Stanford, NCAA semifinalist Texas, Cal and UCLA — all ranked in the top 10 of the only preseason poll that is out (Volleyball Magazine).

Hawai'i is No. 7 and it will need all that luck to go into the WAC season with a .500 record, particularly with two hitters coming off surgery expected to start. Kanani Danielson, a third-team All-American as a freshman, was the only healthy hitter in the spring.

Senior Aneli Cubi-Otineru said she tore the meniscus in her left knee in the middle of last season. It already had no cartilage. "It was sore," said Cubi-Otineru, who was still first-team all-WAC for the second time in as many seasons. "Especially on the Mainland when it got cold."

She had surgery just before Stephanie Ferrell, slotted to take over for All-American Jamie Houston, broke her left ankle. She had surgery March 12 and didn't start jumping until three weeks ago.

Shoji admits both "need to be healthy for us to be good," but believes both are close.

"They are not quite there yet," he said, "but I'm confident they will be there when the season starts."

That would be Aug. 28, against Western Michigan in the Chevron Rainbow Wahine Invitational. The Bruins lie in wait there, with Texas and Cal the following week in the Hawaiian Airlines Wahine Classic and Stanford at The Honolulu Advertiser Challenge.

Shoji senses his team is an underdog in all four matches, particularly against the Longhorns and Cardinal, which buried the 'Bows in a one-sided NCAA regional final last December.

"We have to use the preseason to find out what our weaknesses are and try to shore that up," Shoji said. "If we get hammered early, we'll know what we have to do. We've got enough versatility. If we're close, we've just got to work harder. If we're deficient at a position or two we've got to look at alternatives. We have enough depth."

Hawai'i's hopes lie in its ability to replace Houston's four kills a set, the chemistry its five seniors can create and how well it copes with the preseason and any surprises that crop up. Shoji has his starters semi-set with the exception of one middle position. Expect to see Ferrell, Danielson and Cubi-Otineru hitting, Amber Kaufman in the middle, Dani Mafua at setter and Liz Ka'aihue at libero. All have all-WAC credentials.

"I think if we replace Houston with Ferrell we lose some offense, but we'll be a better volleyball team," Shoji said. "Ferrell brings a little more volleyball IQ to our game. In that sense we could be a better team."

Close behind the "starters" are seniors Stephanie Brandt, an all-WAC setter her first year here, and Jayme Lee, at libero. Sophomore transfers Corinne Cascioppo, a 6-foot-3 right side, and Alexis Forsythe, a 6-4 middle, are in the mix, as is 6-2 freshman middle Kristiana Tuaniga.

The madness in the middle goes on with senior Catherine Fowler and redshirt freshman Brittany Hewitt viable prospects. And even Shoji isn't sure what he's got in four new walk-ons and redshirt freshman Emily Maeda.

"We have to fill that other middle position and that other middle needs to contribute decent numbers," Shoji said. "The big key is having a libero who will be able to pass on a consistent basis. Our other two passers are solid — Aneli and Kanani — so if we can get a third solid passer in there we'll be able to get the ball to our offense. We've got to get the ball to Amber every chance we have."

Kaufman, the NCAA's bronze medalist in high jump last spring, has to soar for Hawai'i to have a chance — early and late in the season. So does everyone else. With the exception of the WAC season — "I thought the WAC was way down last year," Shoji said, "I don't think it can get more down" — there is no room for error.

"The question is whether we can generate enough kills," Shoji said. "We lost a lot of kills in Jamie Houston and it won't all fall on Ferrell. She's probably stepping into the same role, but Kanani and Aneli's numbers have got to be better. I think Amber's numbers will be better. We'll go to her a lot. I'm hoping with everybody stepping up a little more we'll be able to replace Houston's kills.

"And, we've got really good leadership in our seniors."

The Rainbows will need it, just to get to October.

Reach Ann Miller at amiller@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8043

2009 SCHEDULE

Aug. 28-30-CHEVRON RAINBOW WAHINE INVITATIONAL. 28: UCLA vs. Santa Clara, 5 p.m.; Hawai'i vs. Western Michigan, 7 p.m. 29: Western Michigan vs. UCLA, 5 p.m.; Hawai'i vs. Santa Clara, 7 p.m. 30: Santa Clara vs. Western Michigan, 11 a.m.; Hawai'i vs. UCLA, 5 p.m.

Sept. 3-6-HAWAIIAN AIRLINES WAHINE VOLLEYBALL CLASSIC. 3: Texas vs. California, 5 p.m.; Hawai'i vs. St. Louis, 7 p.m. 5: California vs. St. Louis, 5 p.m.; Hawai'i vs. Texas, 7 p.m. 6: St. Louis vs. Texas, 3 p.m.; Hawai'i vs. California, 5 p.m.

Sept. 10-12-THE HONOLULU ADVERTISER VOLLEYBALL CHALLENGE. 10: Stanford vs. UT-San Antonio, 5 p.m.; Hawai'i vs. Weber State 7 p.m. 11: Weber State vs. Stanford, 5 p.m.; Hawai'i vs. UT-San Antonio, 7 p.m. 12: UT-San Antonio vs. Weber State, 5 p.m.; Hawai'i vs. Stanford, 7 p.m.

Sept. 18-PEPPERDINE, 7 p.m.

Sept. 19-PEPPERDINE, 7 p.m.

Sept. 24-BOISE STATE*, 7 p.m.

Sept 26-IDAHO*, 7 p.m.

Oct. 1-at Louisiana Tech*, 7 p.m.

Oct. 3-at New Mexico State*, 7 p.m.

Oct. 8-NEVADA*, 7 p.m.

Oct. 9-SAN JOSE STATE*, 7 p.m.

Oct. 14-LOUISIANA TECH*, 7 p.m.

Oct. 17-NEW MEXICO STATE*, 7 p.m.

Oct. 23-BYU-HAWAI'I, 7 p.m.

Oct. 29-at Fresno State*, 7 p.m.

Oct. 31-at Nevada*, 7 p.m.

Nov. 2-at San Jose State*, 7 p.m.

Nov. 6-FRESNO STATE*, 7 p.m.

Nov. 8-UTAH STATE*, 5 p.m.

Nov. 12-at Boise State*, 7 p.m.

Nov. 14-at Idaho*, 7 p.m.

Nov. 16-at Utah State*, 7 p.m.

Nov. 23-25-WAC Tournament in Las Vegas.

Dec. 3-6-NCAA First and Second Rounds.

Dec. 11-12-NCAA Regionals at Stanford, Florida, Minnesota and Omaha, Neb.

Dec. 17, 19-NCAA Championship at Tampa, Fla.

*conference matches.