“Speak softly and carry a big arm” has worked quite well for Emily Maglio … until now. The Hawaii senior middle has found her voice, a louder one, that has altered her take on the philosophy Theodore Roosevelt made famous in 1900 when he wrote, “Speak softly and carry a big stick, you will go far.”

The 20-year-old has become not just a physical presence for the Rainbow Wahine this season but also a vocal one. The growth in her game, including occasional stints as a six-rotation player, has been matched by the growth in confidence.

“O, Canada” has become “Whoa, Canada” with the success that the Coquitlam, British Columbia, native continues to build upon.

The 6-foot-3 Maglio is second in the Big West in hitting percentage (.395), 31st nationally, and has had 11 matches in double-digit kills for the Rainbow Wahine (10-4, 4-0) — already surpassing last year’s total of 10. Three of those performances were without a hitting error, the latest coming on Sept. 29 at Cal State Fullerton, where she had 14 kills on 18 swings, her sixth straight match with 10 or more kills.

“I definitely think about it,” Maglio said about limiting hitting errors. “Middles usually get less attempts than outside hitters, so they have to be more efficient.

“At Fullerton, Norene (sophomore setter Iosia) said she wanted to get me more sets. She said wherever I was, she’d set me.”

Iosia found Maglio not just in the traditional spots — the quick sets in the middle, the step-outs to the right — but also when Maglio was lined up on the right and available for the 5-set, a high ball that can be indefensible when Maglio takes advantage of her 10-6 approach and roundhouse swing.

“She’s such an athlete,” said assistant coach Angelica Ljungqvist, a four-time All-America middle for the Wahine. “What’s nice is she’s in great shape and if you ask her to do something new, she is physically able to do it.

“We are asking a lot of her and she continues to step it up, taking on more responsibility. I think she’s growing every day and she has the all-around game for sure. Beach helps with that.”

Ljungqvist would know. She was a member of the Swedish national indoor and beach teams, playing professionally in both disciplines.

Maglio, an honorable mention indoor All-American last season, was a 2016 beach All-American for the SandBows.

“Maglio is the perfect example of what playing both does for someone,” said Cal Poly coach Sam Crosson, whose Mustangs play the Wahine on Saturday. “It’s the things that often get overlooked — being in shape, moving better, cleaner techniques, better offensively against one block.

“She gets up so high, hits a solid high ball and has the court vision. If nothing else, she’s playing with more confidence.”

Maglio has seen it … literally.

“Beach has helped so much, it’s so much easier to see the block,” the animal sciences major said. “When I was younger, you’re just hitting blindly because you can’t see the block, you’re so focused on the ball. Now my view of the game has changed — I can see everything. It’s helped my blocking.”

Indeed. She leads the Big West with 76 total blocks and a 1.33 bps average, ranking her 37th and 40th nationally.

And then there’s the confidence, a mental toughness honed by nine years of playing youth hockey on boys’ teams as a defender. When meeting with first-year head coach Robyn Ah Mow-Santos last spring, Maglio was told the coaches had confidence in her.

“But we wanted her to show she had the confidence in herself,” Ah Mow-Santos said. “We’re trying to get her to notice that she’s really athletic.

“She’s slowly getting there. Her communication is improving. As we’ve told her, she needs to make herself available (for a set), got to stay in the offense.”

Whether that means Maglio will stay in for all six rotations is the question. Her ability to hit from behind the 3-meter line would give Hawaii an additional offensive option.

“They’re working with her on that. She’s always wanted more than three rotations,” said senior hitter Kalei Greeley, Maglio’s best friend and roommate since freshman year. “She loves being out there, can’t get enough of volleyball.

“I’m really proud of her. She has grown in so many ways. I know she’s got a big future in the sport.”

One that is matching that big armswing and, lately, that bigger voice.