3 final-four teams to
open season in Hawaii

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The field for the ninth annual NACWAA Volleyball Classic has been finalized. The tournament, which will be hosted by Hawaii, kicks off the collegiate women's volleyball season. It will be reminiscent of last year's final four, with three teams from the 2002 NCAA championship competing. Defending national champion USC, Florida and Kansas State join the Rainbow Wahine.

"It's challenging to have USC and Florida," Hawaii coach Dave Shoji said. "They're very good and return a lot of people."

The same can be said of Kansas State, which has five starters back from a team that ended 2002 ranked 21st in the AVCA coaches poll. The pairings for the tournament have not been decided.

In addition to NACWAA, there are nine teams that reached the NCAA tournament in 2002 on Hawaii's 2003 schedule, including Stanford, Arizona, Pacific and UCLA.

The Rainbow Wahine will also play Nevada-Las Vegas, which is coached by former Wahine and Broderick Cup winner Deitre Collins.

"We try to schedule the best teams possible," Shoji said. "It depends on what's available. It works out."

Shoji said that plans for a spring exhibition against USC are almost complete. The match would take place March 18.