Thursday, August 9, 2001
[ WAHINE VOLLEYBALL ]
Diggin’ in THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII Wahine volleyball team returned to practice yesterday with noticeably fewer players and missing one of the main ingredients to last year's final four season.
Wahine gear up for
season as practice startsKahumoku not coming back
By Grace Wen
gwen@starbulletin.comAll-American outside hitter Lily Kahumoku is at home with her family in Alabama. Kahumoku decided to sit out the season for "personal reasons."
Top recruit Jennifer Saleaumua is also at home as she tries to become eligible academically. Saleaumua set the national high school kill record with 52 kills in last year's California state championship.
On day one of the 2001 season, the Wahine sported matching blue running shirts -- in lieu of the usual T-shirts -- as the first practice got under way.
There weren't any true freshmen, but a mix of returnees, transfers and walk-ons that make for a youthful Wahine squad with only one senior.
A combination of eight returnees (Jennifer Carey, Kim Willoughby, Melody Eckmier, Margaret Vakasausau, Tanja Nikolic, Maja Gustin, Lauren Duggins and Melissa Villaroman), two newcomers (transfers Nohea Tano and Hedder Illustre) and three walk-ons (Ashley Watanabe, Megan O'Brien and Michelle Isa) brought the grand total to 13 at Gym 1, one fewer than last season's regular season roster. There was a court each for setters, hitters and defensive specialists. While the hitters' court had plenty of middle blockers, true outside hitters were in short supply.
The first day of practice seemed almost anti-climactic in the wake of the events of the last two weeks. The Wahine did their warm-up drills before running through passing and defense drills.
Wahine head volleyball coach Dave Shoji denied reports yesterday that All-America outside hitter Lily Kahumoku might return to the team this season. Kahumoku not coming
back, Shoji saysStar-Bulletin staff
"She's considered coming back. (But) as of (Tuesday), she told me that she's sticking by her decision," Shoji said.
The coach offered some insight as to why Kahumoku might have reconsidered.
"She's not real happy. ... The situation over there (in Alabama) is not good. The reality of being down there ... not having her teammates around and not going to school has got to be hard for her," Shoji said.
Kahumoku is in Alabama with her family and could not be reached for comment.
She announced on July 30 that she would not play this fall due to personal reasons. Kahumoku promised to be back in 2002.
"It feels kind of weird (to be here)," setter Jennifer Carey said. "It feels good to be starting practice. It's been a long time. It's been an interesting spring.
"We have a couple of new kids out here and we have to see where they fit in but it really is going to be the returners. We're going to see some people on the court that are returners that just haven't been on the court a lot."
In his 27 years of coaching, it was the fewest players head coach Dave Shoji has had on the first day of practice.
"This is definitely the (fewest)," Shoji said. "Depth is a question. That's why Tano becoming eligible really helps the team. We're still waiting on Saleaumua. ... If she comes, it will be after Sept. 1."
Tano, who received her release from Washington State on Tuesday, joins Illustre, previously of Cal State Northridge and fresh from USA volleyball's A-2 national team, as two of the Wahine's top transfers.
Tano could see time in any of the three front row spots but has had the most experience in the middle.
It seems unlikely that she would be a middle blocker, since at 5-foot-11 she is on the smallish side for Division I middle blockers.
"I don't know who's going where yet, but I'll try to fill whatever position they can find for me," Tano said.
Illustre is a defensive specialist and is known to gobble up any hits that come her way.
Jennifer Fopma, another transfer from Pepperdine, has decided not to play volleyball. Fopma had been weighing the decision for a month.
"She didn't have the desire to play, to practice, to train," Shoji said. "She came out here and decided to give it a try. She was here a week and decided that she couldn't commit herself."
Since Pepperdine did not release her, she would not have played this season.
With the NACWAA State Farm Classic two weeks away, the Wahine don't have much time to figure out a new starting lineup, but Shoji can answer without hesitation who the starters would be, just not how they will line up.
Gustin, the Western Athletic Conference's pre-season player of the year and all-WAC picks Carey and Willoughby will be joined on the floor by Eckmier, Nikolic and Duggins. But with only one day of practice under their belts, much can still change.
Wahine roster
Pos. Ht. Cl. Jennifer Carey S 6-2 Jr. Lauren Duggins MB 6-0 So. Melody Eckmier MB 6-3 Fr. Maja Gustin MB 6-2 So. Hedder Illustre DS 5-7 Tr. *Michelle Isa DS 5-4 Fr. Tanja Nikolic MB/RS 6-0 Sr. *Megan O’Brien DS 5-6 Fr. Nohea Tano RS/MB 5-11 Tr. Margaret Vakasausau S 5-8 Jr. Melissa Villaroman DS 5-6 So. *Ashley Watanabe DS 5-5 Fr. Kim Willoughby OH/MB 6-0 So. * Denotes walk-on
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