Outlook Part 1: Outside Hitters
Outlook Part 2: Middle Hitters
Outlook Part 3: Setters

The season opener for the Rainbow Wahine volleyball team is just two days away as the team gears up for the Chevron Rainbow Wahine Invitational. HawaiiAthletics.com breaks down the 2011 team by position, here highlighting the liberos and defensive specialists.

Starter returning: Emily Maeda
Starter lost: Elizabeth Ka'aihue 
Letterwinners returning: Alex Griffiths, Kristina Kam
Newcomers: Kayla Kawamura, Elizabeth Blake

UH will need to make up for the loss of all-WAC libero Elizabeth Ka'aihue. Ka'aihue will go down as one of the all-time greats in Rainbow Wahine volleyball, having broken the program record with 1,416 career digs while averaging 3.68 digs per set.

Heading into the first weekend with the inside track to start is returnee Emily Maeda who was a key defensive specialist last season. She now enters her junior year but fourth with the program. Maeda started 28 matches last season and was fourth on the team with 160 digs, averaging 1.78 digs per set. She twice posted a season-high 10 digs, first against Michigan State at the Hawaiian Airlines Wahine Volleyball Classic then again versus St. Mary's at the Verizon Wireless Volleyball Challenge.

Also returning and vying for time are senior Alex Griffiths and sophomore Kristina Kam. Griffiths spent her first two years at Vanguard University, then transferred to UH where she redshirted in 2009. Last season she saw action in 28 matches with two starts and posted 43 digs on the season. She had a career-high eight digs versus Utah State in the WAC Tournament championship. Kam comes in with little experience having redshirted in 2009, then sat out most of last season due to injury. Her two years of being a member of the Rainbow Wahine program should serve her well though.

New to the program are Courtney Lelepali, Elizabeth Blake, and Kayla Kawamura. Lelepali came to Hawai'i from Southern Utah University where she led the team in 2009 with 390 digs. Blake, who may also see time at setter, and Kawamura join the Rainbow Wahine as true freshman. Blake played four years at Kahuku High School where she was a two-time all-state selection and helped guide the Red Raiders to three league titles. Kawamura played at Hawaii Baptist Academy in Honolulu where she was a three-time all-state selection and won state titles her junior and senior years.