It took all of seven weeks for Trey Kekoa Ambrozich to get his first look at University of Hawai'i volleyball. He didn't have the greatest view — looking up from the arms of his parents — but the view it gave his mother was stranger still.

For the past 11 years, Kari Ambrozich has been on the Rainbow Wahine bench as Dave Shoji's assistant and associate coach. Before that, as Kari Anderson, she was the UH setter four years. She was an all-conference selection in 1992 and shared time as a senior with Olympic silver medalist Robyn Ah Mow-Santos. Ambrozich remains in the top 10 in career assists at UH.

It all pales in comparison to this season, when Ambrozich will watch from the stands with Trey, born July 11, and husband Eric, who played basketball for the 'Bows. Last week's matches were Kari's first look at the 2008 team, and Trey's official public debut. She admits to spending more time looking at Trey than the team.

"What I took out of the weekend is that the team can compete and has some heart," Ambrozich said. "That was the most satisfying thing to see. There certainly has been times in the near past where they would have just rolled over.

"It looks like people are progressing. It was good to see Dani (Mafua) out there progressing nicely. Obviously there are areas she can improve upon, but who doesn't? I kind of enjoyed being on the sideline, considering Trey was in my lap looking up saying, 'Hey, what the heck is going on?' I did pay more attention to him than the game."

The family will be back for this weekend's Honolulu Advertiser Challenge, which begins tonight, with Cincinnati playing Wyoming at 5 p.m. and 11th-ranked Hawai'i taking on 12th-ranked Minnesota at 7. Ambrozich will return to her administrative duties next month, but won't come back to practice and recruiting until next year. Between Trey's grandmothers and former Rainbow Wahine All-American Angelica Ljungquist, she has babysitters set through December.

Ambrozich's view of the team is "a little weird," but she already likes it. She misses working with the players, but was encouraged by Shoji to take as much time as she needed to "bond with the little guy." Now she calls it Shoji's "greatest gift." Nothing will ever be the same and she is already comfortable with her new stress-free view of volleyball.

Trey too. By the time the Rainbow Wahine made their raucous comeback in Sunday's fourth game, he had learned to tune out the crowd and take a snooze. His mother is already wondering how she he will have changed her when she comes back to the court.

"I think I'm a completely different person," Ambrozich said. "My whole perspective on life is different. I don't know until I get in there how I will have changed. The competitiveness will still be there. The teacher in me might be more nurturing. I think I'm a fairly patient person. I don't know if that will change, but one thing Trey has definitely taught me is more patience. I'm sure he will make changes in me."

TOURNAMENT CAPSULES

No. 11 Hawai'i (1-2)

Coach: Dave Shoji (954-171, 34th season)

Aneli Cubi-Otineru (5-11 Jr. OH) earned all-tournament honors at last week's Hawaiian Airlines Classic, after hitting .373. ... Nickie Thomas (6-1 Sr. MB) played for first time in nearly two years and averaged 3 kills and a block, hitting .577. ... Kanani Herring (5-10 Fr. OH) averaged nearly 3 kills and 3 digs in her first collegiate matches, and did not have a reception error. ... Tara Hittle (6-0 Sr. OH), 2004 WAC Freshman of the Year at hitter, played libero last week and led UH with 3.6 digs, becoming 11th in school history to reach 1,000 digs. She needs one dig to tie Mahina Eleneki for ninth. ... Rainbow Wahine have won 11 of the 13 Challenges and are 37-2, losing to USC (2001) and Stanford (2006).

No. 12 Minnesota (3-0)

Coach: Mike Hebert (307-111, 13th; 879-368 overall)

Gophers are 2-10 in Hawai'i. ... They have been to last nine NCAA Tournaments, reaching final four in 2003 and 2004. ... Opened season with wins over Creighton, Texas A&M and 21st-ranked LSU to move up four spots in poll. ... Rachel Hartmann (5-11 Sr. S) has three hitters averaging more than three kills, led by Brook Dieter (6-1 So. OH), who was Most Outstanding Player at Bluejay Invitational. ... Christine Tan (5-4 Jr. L) is Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week after averaging more than six digs. ... Minnesota is 0-6 against the Rainbow Wahine, getting swept five times. ... Lost one starter off last season's 18-13 team, which lost in NCAA's first round. ... Picked to finish second in Big Ten.

Cincinnati (3-0)

Coach: Reed Sunahara (183-75, 9th; 202-115 overall)

Bobcats are 1-5 in two Challenge appearances, and 0-2 against Hawai'i. ... Lost one starter off 19-12 team. ... Hilo High graduate Reed Sunahara got his 200th career coaching win in season opener and has taken Cincinnati to four NCAA Tournaments and three Conference USA regular-season titles. ... Stephanie Niemer (6-2 So. OH) named MVP at State Farm Bearcats Invitational, averaging 4.4 kills. ... Jessie Nevitt (6-2 Sr. MB) earned all-tournament honors with 2.9 kills, 1.3 blocks and .393 hitting. ... Missy Harpenau (6-0 Fr. OH), prepvolleyball.com's national Player of the Year last season, averaged 2.4 kills and 2.3 digs in first three collegiate matches.

Wyoming (0-3)

Coach: Carrie Yerty (0-3, 1st; 233-177 overall)

Lost kill, hitting, blocking and points leaders from year's 12-14 team, which finished seventh in Mountain West. ... Has lost to Hawai'i all nine times, with last match in 1996. ... Out-hit .200 to .157 in losses to Oregon State, Portland State and Charleston, and got aced 27 times. ... Led by Dani Bedore (5-9 So. OH) with 3.17 kills, and Lauren Whitney (5-11 So. OH) with 2.58. ... Picked to finish eighth in Mountain West. ... First-year coach Carrie Yerty played for Washington State and is winningest volleyball coach in Memphis history, going 164-77 there the last 12 years.