A program built on federal law

Women's athletics is celebrating its 30th anniversary at the University of Hawai'i. In part two of a three-part series, The Advertiser looks at how the program grew from 20 athletes in two sports to nearly 200 in 11, including Olympians, All-Americans and some of the most familiar faces in Hawai'i.

By Ann Miller
Advertiser Staff Writer

University of Hawai'i Wahine athletics was born in the 1970s. It acquired a personality in the '80s, a decade of Title IX definition, more volleyball championships and the emergence of other sports.

Before the start of the 1988 volleyball season, the Rainbow Wahine were honored at Klum Gym as the school prepared to unveil the 1987 NCAA championship banner. Advertiser library photo • 1988

There was a huge asterisk: A 60-page investigative report outlining disparities and discrepancies in the Wahine program, and plans for reform.

"The passage of Title IX was the real beginning of women's athletics at UH," says Rep. Patsy Mink, who co-authored original Title IX legislation. "It made some tremendous inroads into an institution that had been so dominated by men and men's sports exclusively."

Mink, who played high school basketball at Maui High, says she collaborated closely with Dr. Donnis Thompson while she was UH's women's athletic director. Mink saw Title IX as a "legal instrument for advocating equitable distribution." Thompson wielded it to enhance her vision of a quality Division I women's athletic program — a vision volleyball launched.

"What I learned from Donnis is single-mindedness of purpose," recalls Cindy Boerner Mazda, who succeeded Thompson in 1983. "Donnis threw everything behind volleyball because she knew volleyball was the ticket. She saw that as a vehicle, said let's throw all our resources and energies behind volleyball because this is what will make us, make our mark. From there we can grow."

All but untouchable

Gwen Loud, honing her craft at Cooke Field in 1984, won the NCAA long jump and earned All-America honors. Advertiser library photo • 1984

The next season, the Wahine lost one postseason game to become the first to defend an NCAA women's title. Seniors Deitre Collins, Joyce Kapua'ala, Sista Palakiko, Kori and Kris Pulaski, Marcie Wurts, and Missy Yomes went 67-3 their final two years.

"It was just an unusual bond," Collins recalled years later. "I've absolutely never seen that again — nothing that was so easy."

Their outrageous success renewed the vows the 1979 team first exchanged with the state. Thompson was not there to see it. She resigned at the end of 1981 to become state superintendent of education.

Mazda came here in 1976 as a 24-year-old graduate assistant for academics, and Thompson's aide. She became a full-time academic counselor and administrative assistant four years later. The next year, Dave Shoji was elevated to full-time status, and women's athletics moved from under the old swimming pool into the department's new $12 million home. Mazda still sold tickets and popcorn at Klum Gym. Title IX was hardly ubiquitous.

Mazda suffered the indignity in silence. Her persistence and exhaustive organizational skills paid off when she took over for Thompson. Marilyn Moniz-Kaho'ohanohano, the current senior woman administrator, is amazed — and often relieved — to find Mazda's copious notes still popping up.

"I took notes at all the meetings," Mazda recalls. "I think maybe part of me thought this was history in the making."

Almost immediately, Mazda helped the Wahine into their first conference. She saw it as a way to stabilize schedules, enhance recruiting, participate in more postseason events and enjoy broader exposure.

Judy Mosley, in action in Klum Gym during 1989-90 season, became the program's first All-American, as well as the schools' career scoring and rebounding leader. Advertiser library photo • 1980

Mazda's style was at the other end of the spectrum from Thompson's. She was soft-spoken, non-confrontational and drawn to details. Mazda points with pride to the precise day the women's program offered the full complement of scholarships allowed by the NCAA for its sports, and Collins became the first volleyball player to win the Broderick Cup, given to the nation's finest female college athlete.

Mazda also recalls frustrations. She was gone five years before the arena was built that she and late athletic director Stan Sheriff envisioned in 1987 in Indianapolis. Full-time coaching positions were constantly delayed. Promises were made and broken with almost equal abandon.

"I often wondered if there was more I could have done," Mazda says. "I don't think so, but sometimes it seemed so hopeless and frustrating. Although ... it was a wonderful place to be because the fans and student-athletes made it worthwhile and worth hanging in there."

She left for the Atlantic 10 a year after volleyball had captured its fourth, and last, championship. The 1988 women's athletic budget was $750,000 — on its way to $1 million, with the maximum 74 scholarships for seven sports.

'So political, so incestuous'

Her only real regret is a common Manoa theme.

"One of the difficult things there is it is so political, so incestuous because of the politics," Mazda says. "It was a good and bad thing UH was where the legislature was. The legislature wanted so badly to run it, wanted the university to be run well. Their heart was in the right place, they just stuck their noses in a little too deeply. It was difficult to direct when you had to run down to the legislature seemingly every few weeks and justify every line item. It was nuts."

A few months after Mazda left, Wahine basketball coach Vince Goo — one of her most popular hires — took his team to its first NCAA Tournament. After a national search, Moniz-Kaho'ohanohano was hired as the third UH Assistant Athletic Director for Women's Sports. She came from the prosecutor's office on Maui, played volleyball for Shoji and was the first female winner of the Jack Bonham Award, the most prestigious honor in UH athletics.

Moniz inherited a $1.2 million budget. At that time, gender equity was just beginning to be the buzz phrase in women's athletics. Moniz could define it from every conceivable angle.