The checklist for most 22-year-olds include finishing college, finding a job and moving on to the next step in life.

Shellane Ogoshi can now check those goals off her list.

After a record-breaking volleyball career at Hofstra (N.Y.), the 2004 Roosevelt graduate spent a year as an assistant at the school before taking over as head coach at C.W. Post, an NCAA Division II school on Long Island.

"I'm very excited at the opportunity I have here," said Ogoshi, a four-year starter at setter while at Hofstra. "It has been what I've expected and more, so far. It's been a really good learning experience."

Ogoshi, who graduated with a degree in international business in May of 2008, set career records in assists (4,597) and digs (1,660) at Hofstra. In her one season as an assistant coach, she helped the Pride go 18-14 before accepting the C.W. Post job.

"Actually the athletic trainer at Hofstra — his wife is the field hockey coach at C.W. Post and she informed me that the position was open and being a coach was something that I've always wanted to do, so I figured I'd give it a try," Ogoshi said. "I was very comfortable at Hofstra, but coming to C.W. Post was a good way for me to explore new opportunities. I wanted to venture out and the best way to learn is to do it yourself."

Ogoshi, who said she was left with six returning players from last year's roster, recently returned from a recruiting trip that took her to the Carribean and Miami.

"Actually, I got two girls from the very same tournament that I got recruited (to go to Hofstra) at in Miami," Ogoshi said. "I basically have one setter, so I'm hoping nothing happens to her, but I did find some strong middle (blockers), a right-side hitter and I'm still recruiting a couple more players who I think could walk on and help the program."

Ogoshi said she tried to recruit players from Hawai'i, but with no scholarships available, it proved to be a hard sell.

"My dad is a club director out there and he's been trying to help me because I'm still looking for a libero, but no one from Hawai'i wanted to come out here," Ogoshi said. "It's kind of late in the game and I don't have a full scholarship to give, so it's difficult."

Ogoshi said that because of volleyball's relatively small fan base along the East Coast, it has been a struggle to find players.

"The biggest struggle is finding local talent. In Hawai'i, where the sport is so popular, you have so much to pick from, but out here, it's different. The coaching on the high school and club levels are very weak, so finding local talent is very difficult," she said. "But, it is much like Hawai'i, in that it's like one big family and there has been nothing but support from every one of the athletes and coaches."

The transition from player to coach has been somewhat of a natural one for Ogoshi, who earned all-conference honors in each of her four seasons at Hofstra.

"For me, it already felt like I was an on-court coach," she said. "I had that kind of liaison role, where I was there to kind of help the coach along if she didn't see something from the bench. I think that made the transition a lot easier."

C.W. Post — which is located about 20 miles east of Manhattan — went 14-14 last season, 9-7 in the East Coast Conference.

Ogoshi, the program's 12th head coach, said she is still in the process of scheduling a few more matches, but is excited for the upcoming season.

"I think it's going to be very exciting and very intense," Ogoshi said. "But, being that it's my first year, I think I have to keep reminding myself that, at this point, execution and not results, are more important ... we're trying to build a foundation for the future."

FOOTBALL