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DAVE SHOJI

Legendary Coach Shoji was the Head Coach for the University of Hawaii Rainbow Wahine for 42 straight seasons, winning 4 National Championships. When he retired in 2016, he was the all-time winningest coach in NCAA volleyball history. He is just the second women's volleyball coach to win 1,200 NCAA Division I games. He finished his stellar career with a record of 1,202-204-1 record. In 2016, he led the Rainbow Wahine to a 15-1 Big West record to capture the program's fourth BWC title in five years (since returning to the league). It marked their ninth total Big West crown and 25th overall conference title (16-Western Athletic Conference). He guided UH to 24 straight and 35 overall NCAA Tournament appearances. Coach Shoji never had a losing season in his 42-year career at Hawai'i. He led the Rainbow Wahine to four national championships (1-AIAW, 3-NCAA) and nine NCAA Final Four appearances. His teams amassed 20-plus win seasons 38 times and 30-plus win seasons 19 times. He coached 86 All-American selections (14 AIAW, 15 USVBA, 57 AVCA); 25 conference Players of the Year; and 175 all-conference selections. Academically, he has also coached 107 conference all-academic players. The honors piled up for Coach Shoji over the years. In addition to being a member of the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Hall of Fame, he is a 14-time conference and 11-time all-region Coach of the Year. He is a five-time AVCA National Coach of the Year (1982, '87, '88, '95, '09). Shoji was named one of the all-time great coaches by USA Volleyball in 2002. He was inducted into the Hawai'i Sports Hall of Fame and was named coach of the NCAA 25th Anniversary team. Since the AVCA started its national poll, Hawai'i has been ranked for 499 total weeks, which ranks them at No. 3 in the poll's history. Only Nebraska and Stanford are ranked higher, tied at No. 1 with 510 times ranked. Coach Shoji's sons, Kawika and Erik, starred at Stanford University as All-Americans, are two-time (2016 Bronze Medalist) and three-time (2016 & 2024 Bronze Medalist) USA Olympians, respectively, and play professional volleyball. Kawika is also one of our coaches, and Erik runs Clinics when he is home in Hawaii.

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KAWIKA SHOJI

Coach Kawika Shoji is a two-time USA Olympic volleyball player (2020 -10th, 2016 Bronze Medal), 12-year professional volleyball player, USA national team player (2011–2021), 2014 World League and 2015 World Cup winner, three-time German Champion with Berlin Recycling Volleys, and a First-Team AVCA All-American player, AVCA Player of the Year, and National Champion at Stanford University. His father is the legendary University of Hawaii Head Coach Dave Shoji, who retired as the winningest coach in NCAA Division I history. His brother, Erik Shoji, is also a three-time Olympian (2020 -10th, 2016 & 2024 Bronze Medal), a Professional and USA National Team player, and the first player to be a four-time First Team AVCA All-American player. His mother, Mary, played basketball at the University of Hawaii.

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GARRETT MUAGUTUTIA

Coach Muagututia is a two-time  USA Olympic volleyball player Olympian with Team USA (2021 and 2024) and was an alternate in 206. He won a bronze medal with Team USA in 2024. He has also been a member of the U.S. Men's National Team since 2011 and played professionally in Spain, Finland, Italy, Turkey, Poland, China, Portugal, Greece, Egypt, and Indonesia. As a professional, he won the Greek Cup with PAOK Thessaloniki in 2019 and was named MVP. He also won the Portuguese Championship with Sporting CP in 2018. He was also a Two-time Second-Team All-American at UCLA. Coach Muagututia also has the following additional accolades: 2024 Volleyball Nations League Weeks Two and Three, 2023 Olympic Qualifier – Gold, 2023 NORCECA Continental Championship – Gold, 2023 Volleyball Nations League Final – Silver, 2023 Volleyball Nations League Weeks One and Three, 2022 FIVB World Championship - 6th, 2022 FIVB Volleyball Nations League Final Round – Silver, 2022 FIVB Volleyball Nations League Weeks Two and Three, 2021 Olympic Games - 10th, 2021 FIVB Volleyball Nations League Preliminary Round - 7th, 2019 FIVB Tokyo Men's Volleyball Qualification tournament – Gold, 2019 FIVB World Cup – Bronze, 2019 FIVB Volleyball Nationals League Final Round – Silver, 2016 Olympic Games – Alternate, 2014 FIVB World Championship -T7th, 2014 FIVB World League Final Round – Gold, 2012 Pan American Cup – Gold, 2011 Pan American Cup - Silver; Made U.S. Men's National Team debut.

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MATT SONNICHSEN

Coach Sonnichsen is the county’s leading volleyball recruiting authority, a former Division I Volleyball Coach for 15 years, and a former Women’s Professional Volleyball Coach.  Coach Sonnichsen was the Head Coach at Iowa, Tulsa, Louisiana Tech, and Newberry College.  He was also an assistant coach at Clemson, Iowa, and UC Santa Barbara. He was the Head Volleyball Coach of the Guaynabo Mets of the Puerto Rican Women's Professional League. Coach Sonnichsen can also “walk the talk” as the Texas native was a four-year letter-winning setter for UCLA where he earned three All-America honors and helped lead the Bruins to NCAA championships in 1987 and 1989. Coach Sonnichsen also competed professionally before beginning his coaching career.  Some of his other accolades: 2-time NCAA Champion at UCLA. MVP of the NCAA National Championship, 1989. Three-time All-American Setter. USA National Team Setter. 2 years playing Professional Volleyball in Europe. A 5-year touring member of the AVP Pro Beach Volleyball Tour. Coach Sonnichsen also created the collegevolleyballcoach.com site a number of years ago for two reasons: 1) To provide information and to answer questions about the often-confusing world of college volleyball and recruiting, 2) To have a venue to express my opinions about the sport of volleyball and collegiate athletics. In addition, each summer, he does many volleyball camps at high schools across the USA, which he calls his Volleyball Road Camps. Recently, Coach Sonnichsen was Director of Volleyball Relations and an Educational Speaker for NCSA Athletic Recruiting, whereby he put on Recruiting Clinics at the Hawaii Volleyball Combine for many years. He runs Championship Combines as well as Athletic Recruiting Consultants.

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LISA STRAND

Coach Strand was born and raised in Santa Barbara, California. She graduated from the University of Hawaii with a Certificate in Dental Hygiene and a Bachelor's in Communications. While at the University of Hawaii, she won back-to-back National Championships. In 1984, she was named an All-American. Coach Strand has competed on the Women's Professional Beach Volleyball Tour since its inception in 1987. She played seven years of professional beach volleyball on the WPVA, AVP, and the BudLight Women's 4-person tour. She has coached volleyball at all levels, including PAL, elementary school, junior high, high school, club, and college volleyball. She has been a Sports Broadcaster for the University of Hawaii Women's and Men's Spectrum Sports for the past 23 years. Coach Strand is the mother of four, who play and have played college volleyball: Misty Ma'a - University of Miami Micah Ma'a - UCLA - USA Olympian, Bronze Medalist 2024, and plays professionally abroad. Mehana Ma'a - CSUSB - Sophomore. Won the NCAA National Championship last year! Maluhia Ma'a - Kent State Ohio - Freshman.

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​KUPONO FEY

Coach Kupono Fey is a Division I volleyball coach and boys club volleyball coach. He was a professional volleyball player and National Team player. In his first season as assistant coach, Coach Kupono helped lead the team to the national title match in 2023. He coached the Outrigger VC Boys 16s to a runner-up finish in the USAV Championship in 2022.  As a college player, he starred for the University of Hawaii from 2014-2017, was a member of USA Volleyball’s National Team from 2012-2019, and played professionally abroad from 2017-2021. While at UH, he was the recipient of the 2017 Jack Bonham Award as the University of Hawai‘i’s top male senior student-athlete, was a member of two NCAA Tournament teams (2015 and 2017), captained the 2017 team that set a single-season record for wins (27) and advanced to the NCAA semifinals, was named honorable mention all-MPSF in 2017, and earned MPSF all-academic honors in 2015. Coach Kupono played four years of professional volleyball in Greece (Foinikas Syros) and Italy (S.S.D. Argos Volley S.r.l.). He helped Syros Volley capture the 2021 Greek Cup championship team and a runner-up finish in the 2021 Greek Volleyball League, was the Argos Volleyball team captain in 2019, was selected to the U.S. Pan American Team in 2018 and 2019, competed with the U.S. Junior National Team which competed in the FIVB World Championships in 2015. Coach Kupono helped Punahou School win two state volleyball championships in 2012 and 2013 and a runner-up finish in 2011, including a state basketball championship in 2012.

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LUIS RAMIREZ

Coach Ramirez is the Club Director and Lead Coach at Rainbows Volleyball Club Hawaii. He has coached junior varsity and varsity athletes in volleyball as well as international-level players. His volleyball club, Rainbows Volleyball Club Hawaii, has had many successful showings nationally, competing with many competitive mainland teams and winning multiple national championships. His knowledge, experiences, and winning national tournaments evidence this success as a coach. He strives to teach his athletes the importance of sports and how it relates to life both on and off the court. He thoroughly believes in lifelong learning for both his players and himself.  His coaching experience:  Maryknoll School (1998 – 2001) Boys Varsity Volleyball Coach Maryknoll School (2017- Present) Girls Varsity Volleyball Coach Rainbows Volleyball Club (RVCH)(1998 – Present) Head Volleyball Coach & Director •Train volleyball athletes during club season •Provide technical feedback on position specific training •General training and position specific training to all club teams •Assist in obtaining collegiate scholarships for student athletes •Liaison between college coaches and athletes and parents •Supervise head coaches and assistants of the different club teams under ARVC •Counsel and guide players and parents through volleyball cultures and college recruiting process Iolani School (2001 – 2007) Boys Varsity Volleyball Coach (2001 - 2005) Girls Varsity Volleyball Coach (2006 - 2007) Optimal Volleyball Training (2006 – Present) Head Volleyball Coach & Director •Train volleyball athletes during the club off-season •Provide technical feedback on position specific training •General and position specific education on volleyball skills and game strategies •Train youths from ages 7 to 18 years old Achievements High School Volleyball Achievements 2013 ILH League, 3rd Place 2013 Ann Kang Tournament 3rd place finisher 2012 ILH League; & many others.

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LYNDEN KEALA

Coach Keala has been involved in club volleyball for 22 years as a coach and parent. His eldest daughter Logan played volleyball for Oahu Volleyball Club, Kamehameha Schools, and Cornell.  His youngest daughter Loxley played volleyball for Oahu Volleyball Club, Iolani School, and the University of Missouri before transferring to play for the University of Iowa. He has coached at various clubs over the years.  He also coached the Aloha Region High-Performance Teams in 2015 and 2016 and was a USAV High-Performance National Evaluator from 2010 to 2016. He also coached the Kamehameha Schools JV team in 2004 and Mid-Pacific Varsity in 2015. He played volleyball at the University of La Verne and for the Jaguar Men's Volleyball Team and Lokahi Hawaiians Volleyball Team. He is IMPACT/CAP certified, Safe Sport certified, and a USAV member. Coach Keala has been substantially involved with the Hawaii Volleyball Combine since 2010 serving as Co-Director.

 

ALAN LAU

Coach Lau has been involved with club volleyball for over 17 years as a coach and parent. Both of his children won Hawaii State High School volleyball championships for Punahou School and went on to play Division I volleyball.  His daughter Julia played volleyball for Kuikahi Volleyball Club, Punahou School, and also Dartmouth College.  His son Davis played volleyball for the Outrigger Canoe Club, Punahou School, and currently plays for nationally ranked UC Irvine.  Alan coached at Kuikahi Volleyball Club from 2010 to 2017.  Alan also coached the Outrigger Canoe Club from 2017 through 2019 and coached his Outrigger Boys 17s to the National Championship in 2017.  Coach Lau played volleyball at Punahou School, also winning 2 Hawaii State Championships, and later played for nationally ranked UC Santa Barbara.  Coach Lau played junior, Open, and Masters volleyball for the Outrigger Canoe Club during his career and received USA Volleyball All-American honors in 1995.  Over the years, Alan has worked with most of Hawaii’s top junior setters, including Tayler Higgins (Punahou/University of Hawaii), Ana Oglivie (Iolani/Army), Jhenna Gabriel (Maryknoll/University of Texas), Saige Kaahaina-Torres (Iolani/University of Utah), Kristin McDaniel (Iolani/North Carolina State) and Matthew Saffery (Kamehameha  Schools).  Coach Lau has been substantially involved with the Hawaii Volleyball Combine since 2010 serving as Co-Director.  A leading expert and advisor on college recruiting, Coach Lau has assisted Hawaii high school volleyball players in obtaining millions of dollars in athletic scholarships to universities and colleges of all levels, from the highest academic and athletic programs to great junior colleges.

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​​ADORA ANAE

Coach Adora Anae is a professional volleyball player. She plays for the Orlando Valkyries in the Pro Volleyball Federation. She also played professionally in Greece, Ukraine, Puerto Rico, Turkey, and South Korea. Adora helped her Pro team in Greece win the 2022 and 2023 Greek league titles. In 2021, she led her pro team in Puerto Rico to win the Puerto Rico Championship and was named the MVP that year. In 2018, she was a member of the gold-medal-winning USA Women's National team in the 2018 Pan American Cup. She also enjoyed a record-setting collegiate career at Utah (2014 to 2017), becoming the Utes’ first first-team AVCA All-American in 2017 and the first Utah player to earn back-to-back All-America Honors. She was a 2017 AVCA First Team All-American and 2016 Second Team All-American. In 2017 and 2018, she was also the back-to-back All-Pacific Region Player of the Year and the back-to-back Pac-12 First Team Player. In 2016, she made the Pac-12 Second Team. In 2015, she was a member of the USA Women’s Junior National team that won a Gold Medal in Croatia, while also earning Pac-12 Freshman First Team honors.

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LEXIS AKEO

Lexis Akeo is a professional volleyball player for Lemesos in Limassol, Cyprus. Prior to that, she was the setter at the University of Pittsburgh, where the Panthers made three consecutive final four appearances and were a 3-time ACC Champion. She is a 3-time All-ACC All-Academic Team honoree from 2021-2023. In 2019, she was also named to the AVCA East Coast all-region team, All-ACC Second Team, and ACC All-Freshman Team. In 2019, she was an 8-time ACC Freshman of the Week. In 2017, she was Hawaii’s Volleyball Gatorade Player of the Year and was 2-time State Champion at Kamehameha Schools.

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SAIGE KA'AHA'AINA-TORRES

Coach SaIge Ka'aha'aina-Torres plays professionally for LovB Austin and also played for Vandceuvre Nancy Volleyball in France and for Changas de Naranjito in Puerto Rico. She also set the Texas Longhorns to a National Championship in 2022 and previous to that played for the University of Utah. She was also a member of the 2019 U.S. Women's Collegiate National Team. 

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TESSA FOURNIER FEY

Coach Tessa Fornier Fey is an experienced volleyball coach and was an elite Division I Libero at Seton Hall University. She was a  2014 AVCA All-America Honorable Mention, 2014 AVCA All-Region First Team, 2015 & 2016 AVCA All-Region Honorable Mention, 2014-2016 Big East Libero of the Year,  2014-2016 All-Big East First Team, and 2014 Second Team ECAC All-Star.

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TEISA FOTU

Coach Teisa Fotu is a former University of Hawaii standout, versatile volleyball player who played outside hitter, opposite, middle blocker, libero, and serving specialist!  Before playing for the University of Hawaii, she played two years for Hawaii Pacific University, where she earned all-American honors both years. She also played one year at Eastern Arizona College, where she earned all-region and all-conference honors. Coach Teisa coached club ball for 5 years in Texas and also coached high school volleyball for 15 years in Texas and Hawaii.  

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​DARYL TAMASHIRO

Coach Tamashiro has coached local, national, and international teams for over 20 years.  His mission is to give back to our community by developing our youth through sport. He is currently an assistant coach for the Kamehameha Warriors girls' varsity team.  He has also been a Head Coach and an Assistant Coach at Moanalua High School and Kalani High School.  He is an Aloha Region HP Boys and Girls Head and Assistant Coach as well as a Tryout Lead Coach and Evaluator.  He has been the Hawaii Volleyball Combine Lead Coach for just about every year since the combine’s inception in 2010. His National Coaching Experience: USA Women’s National Team Training Coach, USA Women’s National Team Open Tryout Court Coach, USA Women’s Youth National Team Training Coach, USAV HPC Junior, Youth and Select Head and Assistant Coach, USAV HP Tryout Lead Coach and Evaluator, USAV HP Camp Lead and Assistant Coach.  His International Coaching Experience:  NSSU (Nippon Sports Science University) Nittaidai Women’s Team Apprentice Coach.

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DUKE ROBINS

Coach Robins has been involved with club volleyball for over 20 years as a coach and parent. Coach Duke has three daughters who won Hawaii State High School Volleyball Championships for Kamehameha Schools Kapalama, and they all went on to play Division I volleyball. Alexis (c/o 2007) played at Portland and Hawaii. Kili (c/o 2018) played for Nevada and the University of Portland, and Maui (c/o 2022) is currently at the University of Portland. Coach Duke has coached club volleyball at Maunalani and High Intensity. He served as a practice coach at Iolani School and Kuikahi VBC for four years, from 2013 to 2016. He was also an Assistant Coach for the Varsity Kamehameha Kapalama, and has been a court coach at the Hawaii Volleyball Combine. Coach Robins played for the University of Hawaii Men’s Volleyball team in the early 90s.

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​​BAYLEI FURMAN

Baylei Furman holds an MBA and an associate degree in kinesiology. A proud graduate of Moanalua High School. Baylei began her higher education journey at a junior college where she helped lead her team to conference tournaments as an outside hitter/setter. She then transferred to Felician University, where she took on the role of a utility player, playing both outside, right side, middle, and setter. Transitioning into coaching, Baylei significantly contributed to Felician University’s volleyball program, particularly in recruiting prospective players. Her efforts helped the team achieve its first-ever conference tournament appearance during her first year as an assistant coach. After two years at Felician, Baylei continued to share her expertise at Sacred Hearts High School and various club teams over the past three years. Recently, she took on the role of Assistant Athletic Director of Strategic Communications at Hawaii Pacific University, where she brought her experience in coaching and athletics administration to the forefront.​

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JORDAN NAKAMURA

Coach Nakamura is an Assistant Coach at Hawaii Pacific University and is the founder of Pass First Volleyball. He specializes in libero training, emphasizing proper technique, court awareness, positioning, and footwork. His training covers all aspects of the libero position, including serve-receive, passing, out-of-system passing, and serving. Coach Jordan has also coached club ball for many years.

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