They held a celebration of New Mexico State volleyball coach Mike Jordan's 39th birthday Tuesday — and nobody in the restaurant had to ask what he wanted for a present.

No. 13-ranked University of Hawai'i plays in Las Cruces, N.M. Saturday and even at his party all people wanted to ask Jordan about was the match with the Rainbow Wahine.

"I tried to tell them we have another match first but they are like, 'Whatever. Just tell us how good Hawai'i will be,' " Jordan said. "They wanted to know if we could beat them. They wanted to know: 'Could we win the WAC?' "

Even before the Aggies ended UH's NCAA-record 114-match conference winning streak last year, appearances by the Rainbow Wahine were a big deal there.

Now, they're bigger. "This is the match fans want to see, no question," Jordan said.

Indeed, there is a "Pack the Pan Am (Center)" promotion for the match. And while nobody expects the 13,071-seat arena to be filled, they are hopeful of smashing the school record of 7,115, for a volleyball crowd. Set by, you guessed it, UH.

If UH (8-3) is to have a challenge in the otherwise ho hum Western Athletic Conference schedule this season, the city of the crosses is where it figures to come. If somebody is going to make the Rainbow Wahine work for their 12th title, let alone keep them from another one, the No. 25-ranked Aggies (10-2) will have to be that team.

So this week is as big as it gets for WAC volleyball. The one time in the regular season there is even a hint of developing drama in its most one-sided sport.

Giving UH a run for its title is something the Aggies have been building toward and hoping for. Quickly — and no longer quietly — the Aggies have developed one of the more faithful, if not more interesting, followings in women's volleyball. At first it took some doing to educate the fans in the basketball-avid area in the ways of volleyball. "It is not tennis; it is OK to yell, jump up and down and have some fun," Jordan has preached. "It is a social sport you should enjoy."

And they have, in growing numbers and ferocity. Now, volleyball is big enough that NMSU bid for and was awarded the WAC Tournament for November. Fans tailgate outside the Pan Am Center as they would a football game and then come inside to watch their team dine on the opposition in a place where the Aggies are 40-2 over five seasons.

The two losses? Yup. Both to UH.

Any wonder what Jordan wants for his birthday?

Reach Ferd Lewis at flewis@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8044.