Early recruit commits to Wahine volleyball

By Ann Miller
Advertiser Staff Writer

Rainbow Wahine volleyball's future is taking shape with a verbal commitment from another 2003 recruit and head coach Dave Shoji renegotiating his contract.

Shoji has one year left on a five-year deal worth approximately $90,000 annually. Terms were re-negotiated two years ago, but the contract was not extended. In Shoji's 27 years, the Rainbows have gone 770-145 and won four national titles.

Meanwhile, 6-foot-2 hitter/middle blocker Kari Gregory said she plans to attend the University of Hawai'i in the fall of 2003. Gregory will be a senior at The Meadows School in Las Vegas this fall.

National letters of intent cannot be signed until Nov. 6, but Gregory made an unofficial visit to UH last weekend because other schools were pressing for a decision. She was also talking with UC Santa Barbara, Oregon, Loyola Marymount, New Mexico, San Jose State, Miami and Florida State.

Gregory was leaning toward Hawai'i before the trip, encouraged by her high school and club coaches. She came for her visit and committed before leaving.

"I didn't want to make my decision without seeing the coaches and players," she said from Las Vegas. "The program is just incredible. You can't get anything like it anywhere else in the country — the coaching staff, the community, the fans ... everything."

Iolani's Kanoe Kamana'o, The Advertiser's 2001 State Player of the Year, also committed for 2003, along with La Pietra's Alecia Arnott.