HONOLULU — Two-time defending NCAA men’s volleyball champion Hawaii is a near-unanimous pick to make a run at a third straight title.

UH took the top spot in Tuesday's American Volleyball Coaches Association preseason top-15 poll, garnering 21 of 22 first-place votes. UCLA of the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation received the other.

The Rainbow Warriors return their entire starting lineup from the team that swept Long Beach State for the 2022 crown at UCLA’s Pauley Pavilion last May, led by Big West Player of the Year and All-America setter Jakob Thelle.

Pin hitters Dimitrios Mouchlias, Spyros Chakas and Chaz Galloway are in place, as is middle Guilherme Voss, utility hitter Filip Humler and libero Brett Sheward.

Charlie Wade’s team was previously announced as the Big West Conference’s top preseason pick.

The BWC got three other teams in the AVCA poll: LBSU at No. 3, UC Santa Barbara at No. 7 and UC Irvine at No. 8. Cal State Northridge and UC San Diego received votes.

UH’s season-opening opponent, Ball State, is No. 6 in the poll. The ‘Bows and the Cardinals open the 2023 season with matches on Jan. 12 and 13 at SimpliFi Arena.

Brian McInnis covers the state's sports scene for Spectrum News Hawaii.