Hawai'i will take its highest ranking of the year with it when it leaves tonight for the most distant NCAA Volleyball first-round match in history.

The Rainbow Wahine (26-5) were ninth in yesterday's CSTV/AVCA Coaches Top 25. UH was 10th in the preseason poll, but dropped as low as 16th after opening the season 3-3. It returned to 10th the beginning of this month, but dropped again after falling to Utah State.

The top seven teams in this week's poll remained the same, with Penn State, Nebraska and Texas 1-2-3. Florida dropped from eighth to 10th after falling to Long Beach State, which moved into the poll at No. 25. UCLA also dropped, to 12th, after losing to unranked Arizona.

Seeding for the NCAA Tournament, announced Sunday, is a bit different. Stanford received the No. 1 seed and has the eighth-seeded Bruins in its region. Nebraska is No. 2 and is in the Madison region with seventh-seeded Wisconsin. Texas, which has won its last 20 and is the only team to beat the 'Huskers, is in the Gainesville, Fla., region with fifth-seeded USC and the 13th-seeded Gators.

The Nittany Lions are seeded third and matched with sixth-seeded Washington in their region. Hawai'i, seeded 11th, is also in that region along with 14th-seeded Colorado State.

The 'Bows open their 15th consecutive NCAA Tournament Friday against Tennessee State (20-13), in Louisville, Ky. The host Cardinals (22-7) take on Middle Tennessee (33-2) in the other subregional opener.

UH coach Dave Shoji, like his team, feels it is imperative to focus on the little things, particularly at this point in the season.

"For every player it's a little different," Shoji said. "Collectively, we have to pay attention to every little detail. It's hard to do. We've played matches that they've focused pretty much the entire time. They need two of those to get to Penn State."

The Rainbow Wahine are one of five seeded teams (16 are seeded) not hosting a subregional, along with UCLA, Cal, Colorado State and Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. Hawai'i is the only team in the country that has been seeded the past four years, but not hosted a subregional.

Louisville is making its 17th NCAA appearance and has been to three regionals, the last in 2005. But a year ago, Middle Tennessee beat the Cardinals in a first-round match at Louisville. Blue Raider coach Matt Peck was unhappy his team was not hosting this subregional — but happy with the draw and said his team is better this year.

"I am fine with our draw and actually the other side of the bracket with Hawai'i and Tennessee State is a good matchup with us too, should we get past the first round," Peck said on the school's Web site. "I am OK with who we are playing. I just have to find out what else we need to do (to host)."

Middle Tennessee was 15th in the only NCAA power rating released to the public, which included matches through Nov. 16. Hawai'i was 19th, Louisville 27th and Tennessee State 187th — before the fourth-seeded Tigers upset Morehead State for the Ohio Valley championship. In RichKern.com's current power rating, through last weekend's matches, Middle Tennessee is 12th, UH 15th, Louisville 23rd and Tennessee State 153rd.

The subregional will be played at Kentucky International Convention Center. Hawai'i's match is scheduled for 11 a.m. HST Friday. That night's winners play at 2 p.m. HST Saturday for the right to advance to the Penn State Regional.

The Rainbow Wahine have been to the last nine regionals, and won 25 or more matches the past 14 seasons.

Hawai'i senior Juliana Sanders was named the final 2007 Western Athletic Conference Volleyball Player of the Week yesterday. It is the third career honor for the Castle graduate and first of 2007.

Sanders had two big matches against Loyola Marymount, hitting .579 with 12 kills last Tuesday. She had 13 kills, five blocks and hit .647 in three games the following night, going 10 for 10 the first two games. She closed the regular season hitting .348 and averaging 2.52 kills and 1.25 blocks a game.

Louisville is selling all-session passes for the NCAA Tournament for $15. General admission for a Hawai'i regular-season match is $16 — for the upper level ($19 lower). The Cardinals won all 12 of their home matches this year. They average 844 at Cardinal Arena.

Reach Ann Miller at amiller@honoluluadvertiser.com.