No matter what happens Friday, ninth-ranked Hawai'i has never seen anything quite like Tennessee State volleyball. The Tigers will travel 170 miles up I-65 from Nashville to the NCAA subregional in Louisville. They are loose and unorthodox and overwhelmed only at the joy of playing in their inaugural NCAA Tournament.

They knew they had written TSU history when they outlasted Morehead State for the Ohio Valley Conference Championship Nov. 19. But when their name was called during Sunday's selection show, the smiles on the faces of players, coach Kathy Roulhac, school president Melvin Johnson and his volleyball-loving wife Marci, and athletics director Teresa Phillips were so genuine — and gigantic — it was as if someone had lovingly pinched them with proof.

"It's huge," Roulhac admitted. "The school is full of spirit and joy. It's like the campus had a facelift. Football didn't do well so this is our life now — winning and taking it to the next level. People are always looking for things to get excited about and right now Tennessee State volleyball is it."

Based on recent history, Roulhac and this "goofy" bunch of over-achievers — which includes Kamehameha-Hawai'i graduates Makena Naho'oikaika and Precious Salazar — are responsible for a radical makeover.

Two years ago, in her second season at TSU, Roulhac took her team to the OVC regular-season title and a 22-11 record. The year before, the Tigers were 5-27. The 17-match turnaround was the largest in the country.

But back then, and again last year, TSU could not conquer the conference tournament. This year some midseason "mishaps," including suspensions, ignited a bad run. The Tigers (20-13) lost six of seven to the likes of Austin Peay, Tennessee Tech and Eastern Illinois before closing with nine wins.

"We settled in. Everybody started peaking at the right time," Roulhac said. "They started playing well and believing in their mission. They basically decided, 'Hey, we can take this thing, we can do it.' We prayed and pushed and did it."

She adamantly believes her team will be just as comfortable Friday against Hawai'i. For the Tigers, there are no bad options. "We are the underdog," the coach said she told her players. "Play as hard as you can and do what you do."

The Tigers do some very different things. They have just two players taller than 6 feet yet out-block opponents more than 2-to-1. They average more than 18 digs a game.

Three players, including all-OVC second-team selection Kelly Davis, average three kills and hit from pretty much any place off the net; Davis is the school's career kill and block leader. Endia Oliver, another OVC second-team selection, is second in the nation in blocks at 1.86 a game (Louisville's Lecia Brown is first at 2.12) and among the top five in all the school's blocking stats.

Half the team is made up of junior college transfers. That includes Christian Lowe, who closed fast with double-doubles — including 20-plus kills — in four of the last five matches, and setter Candace Saleaumua. Saleaumua's sister, Jennifer, was national high school player of the year and committed to Hawai'i a few years ago. She didn't qualify as a freshman and ended up playing for Nebraska.

Roulhac calls her players "giddy and very relaxed."

"They are an amazing group of athletes," Roulhac said. "It's hard to explain us. People have to see it for themselves."

The Rainbow Wahine will get up close and personal soon. Roulhac believes they will be surprised, though she worries how her team will make the transition from OVC competition to the NCAA Tournament's 11th-seeded team.

But not much. Her team played Penn State last season and is very aware Middle Tennessee upset Louisville precisely a year ago, and has an opportunity to do it again at the Kentucky International Convention Center in Friday's second match.

She will be fascinated by the beginning of her team's match against Hawai'i.

"In the past we needed this and that, but this year we have the total package and at the end we started to put it all together," Roulhac said. "People thought it was amazing — we have a lefty on the right side (Lowe) who can put the ball away and play middle and outside hitter. We do a lot of switching with our hitters. We're a very athletic team. We do things you don't see normal teams doing. It makes us different and hard to defend.

"We have to adjust to Hawai'i and them to us. I can't wait to see what will happen the first 10 points. They may be used to seeing big and tall and we're fast and short. That's what happened with Middle Tennessee and Louisville last year."

Roulhac knows an athlete when she sees one. She is the only player named to the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference first team four times and was also an All-American in the 800 meters. Her sister, Kim Graham, won Olympic gold in the 4x400 relay at the 1996 Summer Games. Brother Jay Graham played for the Baltimore Ravens.

Do you think Rainbow junior Jamie Houston, second-team All-American and WAC Player of the Year who is fourth nationally in kills, scares Roulhac?

"I just want my players to go out and have fun and enjoy themselves," Roulhac said. "That's what we do best. There's no pressure. There's key people we're focusing on like Houston. She's an amazing athlete and she'd be surprised if we have equals on the other side of the court. ... It's kinda different when you're not the only one out there jumping out of the gym. She's going to have to switch it up. It will definitely be an interesting situation."

Reach Ann Miller at amiller@honoluluadvertiser.com.