Posted on: Friday, May 20, 2005

Warrior assistant Wilton leaving

By Stephen Tsai
Advertiser Staff Writer

Assistant coach Aaron Wilton will leave the University of Hawai'i men's volleyball program to pursue a master's degree at Sacramento State.

"I definitely have mixed emotions," said Wilton, 30, who joined UH as a redshirt in 1992. "I've spent more than a third of my life (at UH)."

Wilton, a former All-America outside hitter with the Warriors, earned a bachelor's degree in 1997. He served as a graduate assistant and then part-time assistant until earning a full-time coaching job during the 2002-2003 academic year.

This past season, he worked primarily with the passers and outside hitters.

"It was a great opportunity to coach here, and the level of volleyball is wonderful," he said. "And it's Hawai'i. I don't know what more can be said. It's going to be a shock to move to a different place, basically starting over. In my view, it's taking a step backward to take two steps forward later on."

At Sacramento State, he will enroll in the kinesiology program, which offers a concentration of sports performance.

He also will serve as a volunteer for the Sacramento State women's volleyball team.

Wilton said he needs to earn a master's degree to enhance his chances of landing a job as a college head coach.

He said he began contemplating a move last fall.

"I always wanted to go back to school," he said. "I was looking into different schools and those type of things. As the year progressed, it all started to happen. I started to realize this is the direction I wanted to take. Everything is coming together right now. It's the right time for me."

Wilton will remain on the staff through July, coordinating the summer camps.

His father, UH head coach Mike Wilton, said he hopes to find a successor by the end of July.

Reach Stephen Tsai at stsai@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8051.