HAWAI'I HOMEGROWN REPORT
Fletcher elevates Nicholls' volleyball program
By Dennis Anderson
Advertiser Staff Writer
 |
|
|
She's an honest 5 feet 7 and she has things jumping in Thibodaux, La.
Thibodaux is the home of Nicholls State University. It's 4,186 miles east-northeast of Wai'anae.
It is 24 miles south of Napoleonville — Kim Willoughby's hometown — amid sugar cane fields along the Lafourche River on state Highway 1.
Fletcher got to Thibodaux via two community colleges in California and lost her junior season at Nicholls State in 2001 because she was denied her AA degree before transferring because of a clerical error.
"We knew she would be a force, but we had to postpone it a year. She is living up to my expectations," says Nicholls State women's volleyball coach M.J. Engstrom.
"We list her at 5-9, but she's really 5-7. She touches 9 feet 9 — sometimes (from a standing jump) she touches 9-9."
Engstrom, a college coach for 17 years who also has assisted with the U.S. national women's and men's teams, says Fletcher "is the quickest player I have ever coached."
"Every day we find out new things she can do and add them to our offense."
On Monday, Fletcher was named Southland Conference Volleyball Co-Offensive Player of the Week.
She led Nicholls State to victories over Lamar, Texas-San Antonio and Southwest Texas last week. She had double-doubles in all three matches with a season-high 30 kills and 29 digs against Lamar.
Fletcher averaged 5.83 kills per game and 5.1 digs per game for the week.
She ranks No. 3 in the conference in kills at 4.62 per game and No. 7 in digs at 3.62.
"Once in a while you get a player who fits in with the coach's personality, she is one of them," Engstrom says.
"She is highly competitive, has great work ethic and an exciting personality, and it all carries over to the rest of the team," Engstrom says.
Off the court, says team spokesman Bobby Galinsky, "she's a fabulous person, always one to lend a hand, to say hello, to go out of her way to be nice."
"I was in major culture shock when I first got here," Fletcher says. "It is a very small, traditional town. All the people here have lived here all their lives and are probably never going to leave. They live in a bubble.
"I'm so used to O'ahu being so diverse and Long Beach (where she spent three years of junior college), too.
"I'm still the same person. I've learned to adapt, but I'm not planning on living here. ... I miss being around my own culture and this is not like Hawai'i."
But one thing she has learned to enjoy in Louisiana is the food — "I love the gumbo, shrimp, crab and crawfish," she said. "And I love New Orleans; it's about a 45-minute drive."
Jennifer Fukino, Player of the Year on Kaua'i for Waimea in 1999, has started at setter and been a defensive sub for Nicholls State. Fukino was first-team all-South Coast Conference setter for 22-6 El Camino community college in California last year. "She's cunning and another really good, competitive athlete," Engstrom says.
GOOD GENES: Kui Fletcher is the daughter of former UH football player Nathan Fletcher. Her aunts are Sista Palakiko (UH) and Thia Palakiko (UH-Hilo). ... Fletcher was picked on the Southern California all-state team and was chosen South Coast Conference Co-Player of the Year after she helped Long Beach City College to a 21-2 record and second place in California in 2000. ... Her younger sister, Uilani Fletcher (Moanalua '98) is a middle blocker for Long Beach CC this season and leads the conference in blocking at 2.3 per game. ... Kui, whose full name is Shauntay Kekuiokalani Fletcher, will be a graduate assistant at Nicholls State next season while she completes her degree in education. She wants to return to Hawai'i to teach.
MORE VOLLEYBALL
William Woods (Missouri)
Sophomore Heather Roberts (Kaua'i '01 of Koloa) was named American Midwest Conference and NAIA regional Setter of the Week for the second time in four weeks. "Her natural leadership abilities have helped change the personality of our team and propel (us) toward establishing a strong women's volleyball tradition here," said sports information director Mike Norris. Roberts averages 11.1 assists per game and puts 98.9 percent of her serves into play.
Cypress (Calif.) JC
Poli Olevao (Hilo '02) has made a big first impression on California community college volleyball. In the first state statistical report, Olevao ranks No. 2 in digs with 6.0 per game and fourth in kills with 4.60 per game.
Dartmouth (N.H.)
Junior Kainoa Fialkowski (Maryknoll '00 of Kane'ohe) leads the team in digs with 3.32 per game and is second in kills with 2.32. She has been named to the Ivy League honor roll twice.
