ISLE FILE
HPU basketball coach resigns
Advertiser Staff
Hawai'i Pacific University men's basketball head coach Kelly Wells has resigned to become the head coach at Pikeville College, an NAIA institution in Pikeville, Ky.
Wells, who compiled a 9-18 record in his only season at HPU, returns to his home state, where he guided Mason County High School to the state championship, while being named the National Federation High School Coach of Year in 2003. He was also named Kentucky High School Coach of the Year in 2003 and 2004.
Wells said his decision will allow him to move his family home, and give him an opportunity to coach in the "toughest NAIA conference in the country in the Mid-South Conference."
Wells did not say when his final day at HPU will be. He has recommended Kurt Young, assistant coach and assistant to the athletics director, to succeed him.
"Kurt Young has expressed an interest," said athletics director Jill Ward. "We explained to him this will go to a search. We welcomed his information in the pool."
Ward said a search to find Wells' successor will begin soon. She expected "sometime by mid-May we would like to have someone in here."
Wells said he leaves the program in "very good shape." HPU has six returning players; five on scholarship and one walk-on, Wells said.
Along with his duties as head coach, Wells also served as an assistant athletics director.
MORE BASKETBALL
EX-KAHUKU COACH TO LEAD BYUH WOMEN
Wendy Anae, former Kahuku High School girls basketball coach, will be the first women's basketball coach at Brigham Young-Hawai'i, the school announced last night.
BYUH and the other Pacific West Conference schools are adding women's basketball starting with the 2006-07 season.
Anae coached Kahuku to O'ahu Interscholastic Association titles in 2004 and 2005, and reached the state championship game twice.
This season she coached at Timpview High School in Provo, Utah.
"I've always hoped that BYU-Hawai'i would add women's basketball and that I could be the coach," Anae said in a prepared statement. "I'm excited at the prospect of starting from scratch and establishing our own tradition."
PUNAHOU GIRLS WIN DIVISION I, II GAMES
Shawna-Lei Kuehu scored 19 points to lead Punahou to a 75-36 victory over Maryknoll in an Interscholastic League of Honolulu Division I girls basketball game at Damien gym last night.
Punahou is 5-1; Maryknoll 1-5.
In a Division II game, Taila Autele scored 15 points to lead Punahou past Lutheran, 67-52.
Punahou is 8-0.
Chelsea de la Cruz had 19 points for Lutheran (1-8).
Box scores are in For the Record, Page D5.
DIVING
HUANG QUALIFIES FOR U.S. CHAMPIONSHIP
University of Hawai'i diver QiongJie Huang qualified for the U.S. Open Championship after finishing fourth in the 3-meter springboard yesterday at Indiana University Natatorium in Indianapolis.
The championship is April 20 to 23, also at IU Natatorium.
Huang also previously qualified for the 1-meter championship.
In yesterday's qualifying meet, Mary Yarrison was first in the 3-meter with 279.85 points. Huang scored 268.20.
