University of Hawaii senior Kanani Danielson started her final season in midseason form, earning the ninth Western Athletic Conference volleyball player of the week honor of her career.

The three-time All-American out of Kamehameha was named most outstanding player at the Chevron Rainbow Wahine Invitational, where she collected 40 kills, 28 digs, seven assists and six blocks in three Rainbow Wahine wins.

The WAC honor was announced Monday along with the first regular-season poll. Hawaii remained 10th. California rose from third to its first No. 1 ranking in history in the American Volleyball Coaches Association Top 25. The Golden Bears opened with sweeps of three unranked teams.

Penn State, which lost its opener against Oregon, dropped to second. It is followed by Southern California, Texas, Nebraska and Stanford. All six top teams received first-place votes. The Ducks also received one first-place vote and entered the poll at No. 16.

UH’s opponents in this week’s Hawaiian Airlines Wahine Classic all dropped a spot. Ohio State (4-0), which plays Hawaii on Thursday, is 22nd. Long Beach State (2-1), which plays UH on Friday, is 23rd, and UCLA — Sunday’s opponent — fell to 12th behind Minnesota.

New Mexico State is the only other WAC team with a winning record after opening week. The Aggies (2-1) beat South Florida and Nicholls State. Every other WAC team is 1-2 with the exception of Nevada, which lost its first three. Defending WAC champion Utah State was swept by Pacific in its opener. The Tigers play here next week.

NMSU opened the season with a five-set loss to Nebraska at the MCM Elegante Lobo Classic in Albuquerque, N.M.

Berg, Bown on U.S. women’s national team

The U.S. women’s national team, with Hawaii’s Lindsey Berg and former UH All-American Heather Bown, defended its 2010 FIVB World Grand Prix title Sunday in Macau, China. The Americans beat top-ranked Brazil, 26-24, 25-20, 25-21.

Second-ranked Team USA has won the tournament four times, all in China (1995 in Shanghai, 2001 in Macau, 2010 in Ningbo).

Bown contributed seven points and Berg set the offense to a .311 hitting percentage — 100 points higher than Brazil.

Hawaii’s Stanley injured for U.S. men

The U.S. men opened the NORCECA Continental Championship with a 25-15, 25-7, 25-12 victory over Trinidad & Tobago on Monday in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico, but Hawaii’s Clay Stanley suffered an injury in the opening set and did not play again. NORCECA is the qualifying event for the FIVB World Cup, which is the first qualifier for the 2012 Olympic Games. The U.S. plays Costa Rica today.