There's no breaking Tuitele's heart
By Catherine E. Toth
Advertiser Staff Writer
Pick a part of your body, and Nia Tuitele has probably injured it.
Gregory Yamamoto • The Honolulu Advertiser
Lower back? Spasms.
Leading by example, HPU senior setter Nia Tuitele has played through painful injuries.
Left knee? Strained.
Thumb? Sprained.
"I just try not to think about it," said Tuitele, who feels the pain with every dive, every backset. "I just play through it. I know coach is depending on me to be a leader and I don't want people to worry about it. I always tell myself, 'No pain, no gain.' "
But the one part of Tuitele that could never be injured? Her heart.
"Oh, she's hurt, she's definitely hurt, but she plays with her whole heart and soul," said HPU coach Tita Ahuna, who has coached Tuitele all four years. "She has a never-say-die attitude."
Her drive is obvious in the numbers.
Not only is Tuitele the only HPU player to record 1,000 assists in a season, she's done it four times, reaching the 1,000 plateau during Monday night's win over Western New Mexico.
Already HPU's all-time assists leader, Tuitele leads the Pacific West Conference in assists per game with 12.21, good for the top 25 in the nation.
As far as records go, she's only 91 assists shy of claiming the all-time Hawai'i record in total assists. BYUH's Juliana Lima has the record with 4,763 assists in 401 games played. Tuitele has already passed University of Hawai'i's Martina Cincerova (4,637). UH-Hilo and Chaminade don't have players who topped 3,000.
The 5-foot-9 McKinley High graduate has also picked up some accolades along the way: two-time All-American, 2000 Player of the Year, slew of all-tournament teams and two national championships.
And there's still this year's Division II Regionals to go.
"What can I say about Nia," Ahuna asked rhetorically, shrugging her shoulders. "She's simply amazing."
What's amazing is that despite persistent injuries she has never had a back-up setter.
"It's all God," Tuitele said.
In Monday's conference match-up against Western New Mexico — her last home game — Tuitele proved why she's in the running for Player of the Year. In addition to nine digs, she posted five blocks, including three authoritative solos, and two aces.
"She is having a great career," said Western New Mexico coach Jim Callender, adding HPU's strength in the post-season is Tuitele's ability to perfectly place the ball and take command of the offense.
And with all her numbers, accolades and compliments, Tuitele has never let any of it go to her head. And she never takes sole credit for the wins. Never.
"I'm so blessed," she said between a thick layer of lei Monday. "Blessed with lots of great players and great coaches who make my job easier."
She appreciates the honors, the records, the awards. But what she'll miss most when the season's over is the friendships she has made over the last four years.
"I'm so grateful for all the national championships, for the individual awards, but that's all due to my team," said Tuitele, who will graduate next year with a master's degree in journalism. "Most of all, I will cherish and remember the friendships I made. I'll miss that."
Humble yet fiercely competitive, she orchestrates the offense with deftness and determination, with patience and passion.
And even on an emotionally charged night like Monday, Tuitele remained composed, even confident, speaking with more clarity than most college seniors.
"We're a different team," she said about how this year's squad compares with the other two national title teams she has played on. "We're not as talented, so we have to work harder. Every game has been a challenge for us.
"But," she continued, without flinching, "we gotta always think positive. We have heart. We believe in ourselves. And we never give up."
More volleyball
• Great way to finish: In its final match of the regular season, Brigham Young University-Hawai'i defeated Montana State University-Billings Tuesday, 28-30, 30-18, 26-30, 30-23, 15-7, in La'ie.
The Seasiders finished 14-6 overall, 10-5 in the Pacific West Conference.
BYUH sophomores Xu Dan and Ashley Moeai posted match-high kills with 23 apiece. The Seasiders outhit the Yellowjackets, 86 kills to 52. On defense, they outdug the Yellowjackets, 81 to 55.
Cross country
• On to nationals: Four Hawai'i Pacific runners qualified for the NCAA Division II National Championship after an impressive showing at the regionals in Bellingham, Wash. Saturday.
HPU's Nina Christensen and Christian Madsen took home the women's 6-kilometer and men's 10-kilometer races, respectively.
Lisa Blomme, who finished second, and Sayuri Kusutani, who placed fifth, claimed the other two individual spots.
Christensen, who did not compete last year, won her second regional women's title, completing the course in 21 minutes, 37 seconds. She was named West Region Cross Country Female Athlete of the Year.
Madsen, the region's Male Cross Country Athlete of the Year, finished in 32:07, claiming his sixth individual title of the year.
All four will compete in the nationals Saturday, Nov. 17, at Slippery Rock, Penn.
