Iolani grad Chong will transfer to Rice
By Dennis Anderson
Advertiser Staff Writer
In an arrangement rarely seen in college sports, Tracie Ann Chong of Hawai'i Kai will play tennis for UNLV this spring although she has signed a national letter of intent to transfer to Rice next fall.
Chong, the state high-school tennis girls singles champion for Iolani in 2001, compiled a 24-9 record in her freshman season at UNLV, helping the Rebels earn a top-20 ranking for the first time in 20 years.
CHONG
She was ranked 24th in NCAA West region singles last month after a fall season that included winning the consolation bracket of the Intercollegiate Tennis Association West Region championships.
But Chong asked for a release because, she said, "UNLV tennis is ranked 20th in the nation, but in my major of computer engineering, the program at Rice is among the top 10 in the nation."
Chong got straight As in the recently completed semester.
"It was an extremely tough decision," Chong said. "I took a recruiting trip to Rice (in Houston) and realized that I would be comfortable there in the small private school and incredibly academically inclined environment."
She signed for a full scholarship from Rice.
"You gotta do what you gotta do," Chong said yesterday.
UNLV, of the Mountain West Conference, and Rice, of the Western Athletic Conference, are not scheduled to play each other this spring.
VOLLEYBALL
• Vassar (N.Y.)
Sophomore hitter Nani Loui (Punahou '01 of Wailupe Circle) earned player and academic All-Upstate Collegiate Athletic Association honors and was chosen on the all-star team at three tournaments.
LOUI
Loui's 4.25 digs per game were second for Vassar and her 2.48 kills per game were third.
She helped Vassar reach the second round of the NCAA Tournament and finish with a 25-7 record, the fourth-highest win total in school history. "Her class has taken us to NCAAs for the first two times ever; they just didn't know any better," coach Jonathan Penn said.
Senior Jesse Lam (Punahou '99 of Manoa) and freshman Matt Bninski (Hawai'i Baptist Academy '02 of 'Aiea) are on Vassar's men's team.
Lam, a three-year starter, was second-team All-Eastern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association last season on a team ranked fifth in NCAA Division III.
• University of California-Irvine
Freshman Amanda Vasquez, a 6-foot-1 middle blocker from Moanalua High ('02), "is going to be a major player for us," coach Charlie Brande said.
"She came off the bench numerous times to put away a ball or two to win a game," Brande said. "We used her at critical times, and she stepped up and came through."
Vasquez had 10 kills in 15 attempts against Texas-Pan American and hit .312 on 64 regular-season attempts.
"I think she will make tremendous strides in the off-season with work in the weight room and one-on-one instruction," Brande said.
Vasquez backed up senior Rebecca Larsen, who led the nation in hitting percentage (.430), Brande said.
Freshman Robyn Chung ('Aiea '02), a 5-foot-2 defensive specialist, was "an asset on the practice court," Brande said. Her brother, Chris Chung, played for Irvine's men's team two years ago and is working in New York, he said.
• Cypress (Calif.) JC
Outside hitter Poli Olivao (Hilo '02) led California's 84 community college teams in digs with an average of 6.48 per game in 79 games.
Olivao also led her team in kills with 3.63 per game, hitting .224. Her biggest match was 20 kills and 31 digs against Saddleback.
Olivao was chosen second-team All-Orange Empire Conference and Most Valuable Player of her team, but she "got real homesick for the Islands and will stay home spring semester," coach Nancy Welliver said.
