It's been a very successful start to the season for the No. 4 Hawaii volleyball team, which concluded its five-week homestand 11-2 overall and 2-0 in Western Athletic Conference play.

It's also been a very successful end to the 2010 recruiting season. Hawaii has received an oral commitment from Elsinore (Calif.) High senior Michelle Waber, a 6-foot-3 middle/hitter ranked No. 81 among PrepVolleyball.com's Senior Aces.

“;I'm really happy with my decision,”; Waber said in an e-mail to the Star-Bulletin yesterday. “;My club's motto is 'Living the Dream' and I thought Hawaii fit that quote pretty well.

“;Everything about Hawaii and Wahine volleyball is amazing.”;

Waber has been playing for 951 Elite Volleyball Club, the same club as current Wahine sophomore transfers Lex Forsythe and Corinne Cascioppo. Forsythe also is an Elsinore High graduate.

“;She's just a great kid and already a pretty complete player,”; Dennis Palpallatoc, Waber's club coach, told the Star-Bulletin yesterday. “;She can pass and play defense and has every shot in the book.

“;I think her decision came down to Hawaii's volleyball program. She likes to win and wants to have a legitimate shot at a national championship. She believes Hawaii does.”;

Waber is the fourth and final player expected to sign a national letter of intent Nov. 11. The other players — all from California — who have orally committed to the Rainbow Wahine are setter Mita Uiato, Long Beach Poly High; middle Emily Hartong, Los Alamitos High; and hitter Kaela Goodman, Mission Viejo High.

Waber originally committed to Cal State Fullerton, but then reneged. She visited Hawaii during the weekend the Wahine swept Stanford and was at Oregon State last weekend when the Beavers were swept by Washington.

She made her decision during a home visit Monday by UH associate coach Mike Sealy.

“;I'm real excited for her,”; Elsinore coach Kim Horton said in a phone call yesterday. “;She's such a versatile player, hits the quicks (quick sets) well and such a good blocker. It will be fun to watch what she'll do out there.”;

Hawaii left last night and faces Louisiana Tech (10-7, 1-1) tomorrow and is at New Mexico State (7-4, 2-0) on Saturday.