Middle blocker, the position most affected by volleyball graduation, received a boost when Catherine Fowler enrolled at the University of Hawai'i after transferring from Arkansas. Fowler will be a junior in the fall.

The Rainbow Wahine lost senior middle blockers Juliana Sanders and Kari Gregory after last season. Both started during their career and earned all-conference honors. Caroline Blood, a walk-on in the middle, also used up her eligibility.

Fowler is 6 foot 2. She averaged 1.22 blocks and 1.52 kills last season for the Razorbacks, who celebrated a rare upset of SEC power Florida. She was a member of the USA A2 junior national team and a two-time all-state player in Arkansas.

"Catherine is a seasoned player that will add depth at the middle hitter position," UH coach Dave Shoji said. "She has good range and appears to be a good blocker. She will have the most experience in the middle of our returning players."

Outside volleyball, Fowler was on the honor roll at Arkansas with an international business major. She also studied dance for 12 years.

Fowler will join Nickie Thomas, Amanda Simmons, Amber Kaufman and Britttany Hewitt in the middle. Kaufman started last year, but is projected outside. Thomas was the 'Bows' most dominant middle going into the last two seasons, but lost both years to injury. Simmons will be a sophomore this fall and Hewitt, a 6-foot-4 recruit from Iowa, a freshman.

The Rainbow Wahine open the 2008 season on Aug. 29 with the Hawaiian Airlines Wahine Classic. Participating teams are 2007 NCAA champion Penn State, UCLA and Ohio.