Tuifagu makes
national youth teamFeared Kamehameha hitter
chooses to play for Missouri Valley
Adam Tuifagu was chosen to the 18-member USA Volleyball Youth National Team this year.
With those credentials -- and his reputation as the most feared hitter in the Interscholastic League of Honolulu -- Tuifagu could have commanded a tryout with almost any NCAA Division I team.
But instead, the recent Kamehameha Schools graduate from Hilo chose to play in the NAIA at Missouri Valley College.
"I'm only 17 years old," Tuifagu explained. "The NAIA will not be as rough pressure as Division I. I'll be more able to relax and be at ease. Living in Missouri will be enough growing up for me."
He said his volleyball scholarship and other financial aid will cover all but $500 of his costs at Missouri Valley.
Missouri Valley coach Ed Johnson is delighted.
"We needed someone to come in and make an impact right now," Johnson said.
Missouri Valley went 14-9 and was ranked seventh in the NAIA last season, but graduated three outside hitters, Johnson said.
To complement Tuifagu, Johnson said, "We're also bringing in two big middle blockers out of Serbia."
Tuifagu said his comfort zone at MoVal will be helped by his cousin, Kuuipo Hayes.
Hayes, a 2002 all-state honorable mention player for state runner-up St. Joseph, is one of four women's volleyball players from Hawaii signed by Missouri Valley (see list).
The Missouri Valley men's varsity roster has seven players from Hawaii. The others are:
Senior libero Wade Miura (Waianae), sophomore setter Christopher Kaneko (Pearl City '03), junior captain/right-side hitter David Hoke (Kamehameha '02 of Kailua); sophomore middle Kapena Wong (Pearl City '03); junior defensive specialist Chandon Chesebro (Hilo '02), and sophomore libero Justin Himori (Mililani '03).
Kaneko, who averaged 12.4 assists; Hoke, who hit over .400; and Wong, who hit over .450 and led the team with 2.9 kills per game, were starters last season.
Sophomores Daniel Cunningham (Damien '03) and David Beatty (Radford '03) are on the junior varsity, Johnson said.
