Hawaii junior opposite Nikki Taylor will leave Wednesday for the annual U.S Women’s Volleyball National Team open tryouts to be held later this week at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo.

Taylor, the reigning Big West player of the year, is one 231 athletes from 88 colleges who will be evaluated by national team coach Karch Kiraly and staff during four sessions Friday through Sunday. Selected players will begin training at the Anaheim, Calif., training center whenever the athlete’s school year or professional club season is concluded.

“I’m excited to be involved in the process, it’s something that’s been in the back of my mind but wasn’t sure it it would be accomplishable,” the Kaiser High graduate said. “Dave (UH coach Shoji) shared an email with me from Karch Kiraly expressing an interest in me coming to this tryout.

“At first, I was excited and nervous. Dave reminded me of my skill set and that I’m not at my full potential yet. He was very reassuring.”

Taylor, a second-team All-American last season, was fifth in the NCAA in points per set, which combines kills, aces and blocks.she is one of six players from the Big West that will participate in the tryouts.

“This will be an opportunity to show her skills to the USA staff,” Shoji said. “She is a little under the radar with them, but they know she has the potential to contribute at some point to the program.”

Taylor, also a beach All-American, will miss several practices with the Rainbow Wahine beach team. Hawaii opens the season March 5-6 at the Pepperdine Kickoff Tournament at Zuma Beach, Calif.

“The (beach) coaches and players are very understanding,” Taylor said. “They all understand that I’m here for indoor first and what this opportunity means for my indoor career.”

All sessions of the tryout will be streamed live at www.teamusa.org. Sessions begin at 11 a.m. Friday, and 5 a.m. Saturday and Sunday HST.