CINDY ELLEN RUSSELL / CRUSSELL@STARBULLETIN.COM Hawaii setter Daniel Rasay, a Konawaena High graduate, made his first college start last week at UC San Diego. UH swept the MPSF match.

UH’s Rasay proven
as a team player

The senior backup setter does
whatever is asked of him

How is character measured?

It's said that it may be manifested in the great moments, but it is made in the small ones.

In Daniel Rasay's case, there have been many small moments.

For five years. Every practice, spring and fall.

He's never missed one, not even during his redshirt year.

By unofficial count, yesterday was Practice No. 472.

But Rasay doesn't keep records. The senior just knows that he has never missed a day as a member of the Hawaii volleyball team. Seemingly, as the perpetual back-up setter.

Twice, he thought about not coming to the gym. Not coming at all. For good.

Once was during that redshirt season in 2001.

"The way I saw it, I wasn't contributing to the team," Rasay said. "I didn't do much, hardly got into practice."

And the other? Last season when he thought that he'd again be called upon to back up Kimo Tuyay for a third straight year.

Instead, Rasay found himself in street clothes, watching freshman Brian Beckwith take over that spot. For Rasay, whom many credit with being the key to Hawaii's victory over Penn State in the 2002 NCAA semifinal, it was hard.

"To go from being the backup to not even dressing out ... it was very difficult," Rasay said. "I didn't see that I was contributing to the team in any way. I was really down.

"I probably wasn't too fun to be around. But I realized that I wasn't helping anyone by feeling sorry for myself."

The three-sport athlete from Konawaena High decided he would be the best at whatever he could do. From being a ball shagger in practice to a cheerleader during matches.

"I would think that all coaches dream about having a player like Danny Rasay," Hawaii coach Mike Wilton said. "He's the consummate teammate, the consummate team player. He is a guy who is genuinely happy for the successes of others, even when those others are playing his position.

"I know last year was especially hard for him. This is a kid who, without him, we don't win that semifinal against Penn State. He went from that to our No. 3 setter. And our best shagger."

Rasay said he didn't excel at shagging to make a point, or for recognition.

"I wanted to contribute however I could," he said. "I wanted to support the team however I could. I just want to keep looking at it as a positive situation."

Rasay had offers to play elsewhere, the most promising being at Division III UC Santa Cruz. He chose to stay home and walk on at UH.

He has no regrets.

"I probably would have played a lot at UC Santa Cruz," he said. "But I'm the kind of guy for challenges. I thought, 'Why not come here, try out?'

"I wasn't sure what to expect. I just tried to work my hardest and be enthusiastic in whatever I did. I'm the kind of person who believes there's a reason for everything and I try to learn from every situation."

The education has come with benefits, including the respect of his teammates. They voted him team captain.

"He's the best," Beckwith said. "He's as good as I am. He could have started at any other school, guaranteed.

"It's too bad we couldn't run a 6-2 (two-setter, six-hitter offense) because we both can bang (hit). He's a great player. It shows in his offcourt leadership and, when he comes in, he's very solid. He's very underrated as a player. Very underrated."

"In my opinion, he could have been an All-American setter," said student-assistant Jake Muise, a Warrior for the previous four seasons. "He just doesn't have the experience. He's so athletic, has such an instinctive feel for the game. He just got caught in a numbers game.

"Daniel has done everything ever asked of him for five years. He's never missed a day of practice. He's been put in very frustrating game situations where we were way behind and he's helped us catch up.

"We came in together (in the program). The kid's my hero. He knows every step of the process of character. He's heads and tails above the rest of us in that. It takes a lot of character to do what he has done. He's that special."

This season, Rasay has been used mostly as a serving specialist. The substitution rules being what they are, it means he's on the court for as long as he can keep the serve.

But last week at UC San Diego, Rasay did more than serve. He set the entire match as Hawaii swept the Tritons.

It was just the 45th match he had played in his UH career out of a possible 112. Those were the Nos. 91-93 games out of a possible 415.

It was his first start. The first time he had played a whole match.

"It was fun in San Diego," he said. "The best thing is having the guys say it's fun to play with me. I guess it's because I have so much fun playing.

"But you'll notice I have a good time on the bench, too. It stems from how much passion I have for the game. I don't necessarily have to be playing to have a good time. I have a good time being around the guys. If I get a chance to get on the court, I'm going to do my best and have as much fun as possible."

Rasay doesn't know if or when he'll come into the matches against UC Santa Barbara tonight and tomorrow. But he'd like to prolong the season as much as possible ... regardless of how much he plays.

"This team ... we have so much potential," he said. "I like to think of potential as unused success. I think we have the tools to win the national championship.

"Winning this year would probably be better than winning in 2002. This year would be a team effort."

Rasay, who will graduate this May with a degree in marketing, has incentive to get to next month's final four.

"My parents would come from the Big Island for that," he said. "If they can make only one trip, they'd rather go than my graduation."

They would see character manifested at its best.