Posted on: Wednesday, August 8, 2001

Wahine add a setter, two hitters

By Ann Miller
Advertiser Staff Writer

Nohea Tano, an all-state middle blocker for Kamehameha, received a one-time transfer release from Washington State and said yesterday that she plans to play for the University of Hawai'i this fall.

The Wahine also have verbal commitments from two 2002 recruits. Cayley Thurlby, a 5-foot-11 setter from Illinois, said she committed in June, while 6-3 hitter Susie Boogaard decided on UH a month ago. Boogaard, from Bellflower, Calif., will be a senior at Valley Christian High School this fall.

Tano played on three state championship teams at Kamehameha, and graduated in 2000. She was signed by Washington State and played 12 games, at middle and right side, as a scholarship freshman.

Tano returned to Hawai'i in December and gave birth to son Koby on March 5. She has been going to school this summer to complete the required 12 units for eligibility.

"I'm going to play wherever they put me," said Tano, who is 5-10 and can play all the hitting positions. "I was always middle in high school, but I'm pretty short for college so I've moved around.

"Maybe I'm coming in at the right time. They (the Wahine) seem to be moving a lot of people around."

Tano said she has returned to her playing weight. Her son, on the other hand, already weighs 20 pounds. "He's tall, too," Tano said. "Past the 100th percentile."

Thurlby said she committed early so she could enjoy her summer and school season, and "not go through the hassle of getting a million phone calls July 1." She had narrowed her choices to Wake Forest, Tennessee and Ohio State before UH came into the picture.

She said she liked the coaches and the opportunity to play for a competitive program, and knew all she needed about the state.

"I'd vacationed in Hawai'i the year before," Thurlby said. "I told my mom it would be so cool to go to school here. It was a dream school, basically."

UH setters Jennifer Carey and Margaret Vakasausau will be seniors when Thurlby comes in.

Thurlby's Naperville Central High School team finished second in its conference last season, with one senior starter.

Boogaard won a state championship as a freshman at Valley Christian. Her teammate was Jennifer Fopma, who went on to Pepperdine and transferred to UH after last season. Fopma left Hawai'i this summer, telling UH coach Dave Shoji she no longer had the desire to play volleyball.

Boogaard, whose answering machine already opens with "Aloha, this is Susie," is eager to come here.

"I just love it," Boogaard said yesterday. "Hawai'i has everything I wanted — beaches, football, a great volleyball program and huge crowds. I couldn't pass Hawai'i up."

Boogaard plays on the left side in high school, but expects to train on the right here. She was also considering Pepperdine and schools in Arizona.