UH loses volleyball University of Hawaii All-American Lily Kahumoku will not play for the Wahine volleyball team or enroll in school this fall.
star for season
Lily Kahumoku's choice to
sit out leaves the Wahine
without a key playerLily’s departure will lead to Shoji shuffle
By Grace Wen
gwen@starbulletin.com"I regretfully announce that I will not return to the team this fall for personal matters, but I have every intention to finish my career at Hawaii," Kahumoku said in a statement released yesterday by UH. "My decision is based solely on personal reasons and has nothing to do with volleyball, the university or the community."
The announcement was made a week before the Wahine begin fall practice, and it did not come as a surprise to head coach Dave Shoji.
"We're disappointed that Lily won't be back for the fall," Shoji said. "At this point she's not ready to make a full commitment to the program. She's thought this out very much."
The junior outside hitter played an instrumental role in Hawaii's final four season of a year ago.
Kahumoku's decision could seriously affect Hawaii's chances of reaching this year's final four in San Diego. The Western Athletic Conference Player of the Year led the team in hitting with 4.51 kills a game.
"She's kind of a windup toy," Shoji said. "Put her out there, and you get four kills a game. You could turn her on and off."
Kahumoku spent the early part of the summer training with USA Volleyball's A-2 national team.
Shortly after returning from a trip to Switzerland with the national team, Kahumoku sprained her right ankle in practice. She left Colorado Springs, Colo., a week later and was recuperating at home in Alabama with her family.
Kahumoku was unavailable for comment yesterday afternoon. The all-conference player was expected back in Hawaii this week.
The first day of practice for the Wahine is Aug. 8.
Kahumoku plans to enroll in school in the fall of 2002. She will take classes at a junior college or a four-year university in Alabama to demonstrate progress toward a degree should she come back.
Shoji will have to readjust most of his lineup now with at least two spots to fill. It is unlikely that Jennifer Saleaumua, the Wahine's top recruit, will be enrolling at UH this fall.
"Jennifer Saleaumua has not qualified as of this date," Shoji said. "There's still things we're pursuing, (but) we're assuming she won't be eligible."
The 5-foot-11 outside hitter led the Bonita Vista (Calif.) High Barons to the 2000 California Interscholastic Federation girls state championship and Vball.com's national No. 1 ranking.
Named Volleyball Magazine's Player of the Year, Saleaumua set the national single-match kill record with 57 in the state championship win over St. Mary's of Stockton.
Also, assistant coaches Charlie Wade and Kari Anderson have recently interviewed for vacated coaching positions at Washington. Neither has received a response in the last 10 days.
Should either one be offered the job, Shoji says that he would not rush to fill the spot.
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