Ahuna to take on dual role at HPU
By Catherine E. Toth
Advertiser Staff Writer
She defended her master's thesis, been shuttling around volleyball players and is remodeling her home.
And today Tita Ahuna starts on another project: Role of senior woman administrator at Hawai'i Pacific University.
"I've had a really, really busy summer," Ahuna said. "This is going to be a very different experience. But I'm ready for the challenge."
Ahuna, who also coaches HPU's successful women's volleyball program, will be the highest-ranking female administrator in HPU athletics.
"I'm very excited (for her to start)," said HPU athletic director Russell Dung, who took over the position vacated by the retirement of longtime director and basketball coach Tony Sellitto in April. "I was telling her, 'Hurry up and get here.' "
In addition to assisting Dung in the day-to-day operations of the department, Ahuna will also oversee Title IX compliance and gender equity. She will be responsible for the well-being of the school's women student-athletes.
"I intend to step in and help all athletes, even though my title is gender-specific," Ahuna said.
Her experience as both a student-athlete — she was on the 1987 national championship volleyball team at the University of Hawai'i — and a coach will help her better relate to the athletes at HPU, she said.
"I think being in this position, always being surrounded by athletics and people, I'll fit in," Ahuna said. "I feel this is what I was meant to be doing. It came full circle."
Ahuna isn't the only recent addition to HPU's athletic department.
Baseball coach Allan Sato was promoted to Dung's assistant, a full-time position. He will help with the day-to-day operations. Like Ahuna, he will continue to coach.
Jarnett Lono, former HPU softball standout, enters her second semester as the department's sports information director and compliance officer.
And Dung has only held the position of athletic director since July.
The goal of the department hasn't changed with the new appointments, Dung said. He does plan to work more closely with different HPU departments, in particular Student Life, which oversees the cheerleaders and dancers. The new staff will meet tomorrow.
"We all have one goal in mind," Dung said. "That's getting into the season and winning as many games as we can. Good things will happen when you do that."
Ahuna is no stranger to winning. In her six years as head women's volleyball coach, she has turned the program into a national power with a 130-34 overall record and two NCAA II national championships.
But she brings more to the job than just a winning record.
For the past 11 years, she has also worked at Kalakaua Middle School. She was a special education teacher for 10 years and completed her first year as the school's vice principal. She will graduate with her master's degree in middle-level education from UH in August.
Her administrative and educational experience will come in handy, she said, especially when dealing with student-athletes.
"Just knowing how to deal with them," Ahuna said. "I can use that experience when I work with the students."
But more important to her is her work ethic, something she hopes inspires the student-athletes she will work with.
"I want them to say, 'My coach is not a slacker. She works hard for everything she's got. And I can do the same thing,' " she said.
