Lokahi (unity). Ho‘okahi (making one). Aloha (love). These are basic precepts governing any team sport. That the fundamentals are being stressed by using Hawaiian is adding to the specialness of the 2013 season for the Rainbow Wahine volleyball team.

No. 11 Hawaii opens with defending national champion and No. 1 Texas tonight, viewed as both a challenge and an honor. But it’s just the first official step in the four-month journey for the Wahine as they strive to become one of the best in Hall of Fame coach Dave Shoji’s four decades.

Shoji is poised to become the winningest coach of all time in the sport, just four victories away from passing retired UCLA legend Andy Banachowski’s 1,106. Exactly when that will happen has been speculated upon, along with speculation that this could be Shoji’s 39th and final season at Manoa.

But neither is the theme nor the focus for the Wahine coaches and players, seven of whom make up the largest senior class since the same number in 2003. What is being celebrated is the specialness that is Hawaii itself, its unique culture and, particularly, its unparalleled affinity for all things volleyball.

That all four coaches and the team manager were born and raised in Hawaii has reinforced some of the key words that are written on the whiteboard at practice. There also are other reminders — leaving things in mental lockers, winning the last match of the season — written there, on the reverse side of the board where daily practice statistics are posted.

Mental and physical performance share in "finding that sense of place" for both the team and the individual player.

"We wanted to have a theme, and we feel good about how we’re going about it," Shoji said. "It’s all about how the people in Hawaii are special. Our team wants to be special.

"We get a lot of aloha, so we want to give it back out."

To that end, there have been guest speakers who have focused on the deeper meanings of the Hawaiian words, including renowned culturist Pono Shim. It hasn’t been a hard sell for the Wahine: Nine of the 18 players are products of local school and volleyball clubs; two others were brought up in California but born on Maui; and two are California-born but of Polynesian descent.

Then there’s senior All-American Emily Hartong’s connection. Grandfather Royal George Hartong was a Pearl Harbor survivor, with his ashes now at the Arizona Memorial. She wears No. 17, the number of his destroyer, the USS Montgomery.

"With so many of the girls being from here, it helped reiterate the concepts," Hartong said. "The values are viewed in a ‘family first’ and that is what we are as a team. It’s about having aloha for each other and the game, respecting the opponent. I think it has helped our mental focus when we have obstacles to approach.

"Not everyone would be able to buy into it, but it has brought us closer together."

"Hawaii is such a special place," associate head coach Scott Wong added. "But it’s not for everyone. The group we have this year appreciates that specialness, has bought into the cultural aspect.

"This team grows tighter daily. On the court, we are a pretty good team now, but we want to — have to — get better at some things."

One of the things is not getting lost mentally on the court. Practices have been peppered with coaches yelling out, "Where you going?"

"I think what we’ve given them is that extra something for when they get lost, whether it’s in themselves or in the stuff outside of volleyball, when they’re out there," said assistant coach Robyn Ah Mow-Santos, the All-America setter on the last Wahine team to reach the NCAA championship match (1996). "I know I’ve said, ‘Are you lost? Find your way back. Come home NOW.’ We can use the Hawaiian words to do that.

"They all are grasping the concepts, even if they don’t completely understand the meaning."

Hawaii will be tested right off the bat with tonight’s opener. Texas is tall, but Shoji sees it as a part of the ho‘okahi, that making of one. It’s also made Shoji’s lineup choice difficult because not much separates the starters from reserves at some positions.

"I have a lineup in my mind, but I think I’ll pull a Lane Kiffin," Shoji said, referring to the USC football coach’s decision not to announce his starting quarterback until late before Thursday’s game with the Rainbow Warriors. "I’ll announce it to the team, but other people will find out when I turn in the lineup card.

"We’ve got depth, we’ve got chemistry. It’s a tough opener, but sometimes that’s when you find out the most about your team. How they handle the pressure, how they handle situations when things aren’t going so well. I think we can be really good. I’m excited to get the season started and find out how good."

A look at the field, according to ranking:

No. 1 Texas

The Longhorns, coached by former UH men’s player Jerritt Elliott, return all but a utility player from the 29-4 squad that won its second NCAA title, and first since defeating Hawaii in 1988. Anchoring the defense is senior libero Sarah Palmer, one of three Hawaii Baptist graduates in the tournament (UH sophomore defensive specialist Kayla Kawamura and USD’s senior C’era Oliveira are the others). Also on the roster is sophomore libero Kat Brooks (Punahou). Texas trails 10-2 in the series with UH but won the last meeting (2009) in four sets.

No. 11 Hawaii

The Wahine open against the nation’s top-ranked team for the first time since hosting Penn State in 2008. UH returns seven seniors, including All-America hitter Emily Hartong, honorable mention All-America setter Mita Uiato and libero Ali Longo. Also back is all-conference middle Jade Vorster. UH has led the country in attendance since 1994, when it moved to the Stan Sheriff Center. That reign could be threatened with the move by Nebraska, perennial attendance runner-up, to an 8,000-seat facility. The Huskers have sold more than 7,000 season tickets.

San Diego

The Toreros are just outside the Top 25 at 26th in the voting. USD is 0-3 against UH but pushed the Rainbow Wahine to five in the last meeting (2010). The Toreros return five starters and libero Oliveira for 12th-year head coach Jennifer Petrie. Also back is reserve junior setter Jianna Bonomi, daughter of former Rainbow Warrior All-American and Olympian Carlos Briceno.

UTEP

The Miners return three starters, including Punahou products Malia Patterson, a senior setter, and sophomore hitter Talia Jones. Former Texas player Holly Watts makes her debut for UTEP, which is 0-12 against former WAC rival Hawaii.