Posted at 3:45 p.m., Monday, July 30, 2001

Kahumoku withdrawing from volleyball season

Advertiser Staff

Citing personal reasons, All-America outside hitter Lily Kahumoku has decided not to play for the University of Hawai'i Wahine volleyball team this season.

In a news release on the team Web site, Kahumoku said, "I regretfully announce that I will not return to the team this fall for personal matters, but I have every intention to finish my career at Hawai'i."

Her decision was not based on academic, legal or medical reasons.

Kahumoku, who is a junior, could not be reached in Alabama, where her family recently relocated.

Kahumoku trained with the U.S. national team this summer.

Kahumoku was named the Western Athletic Conference Freshman of the Year in 1999 and Player of the Year in 2000.

"Even though I'm disappointed that Lily will not join the team this fall, I fully support her decision to sit out the year," UH coach Dave Shoji said in a news release. "This decision comes after a lot of thought and contemplation, so it's not a complete surprise to me or the team. Lily has a lot going on in her life and she needs to sort things out, and hopefully she'll return to the team and pick up where she left off last year."