Adolpho will keep her eye on volleyball

In the fall of 2010, a wide-eyed Kalei Adolpho, then a high school senior, told a small group of media members covering Hawaii volleyball that she had committed to play for the Rainbow Wahine … in basketball. But, she said, she had been told she would be able to walk on for volleyball while on a basketball scholarship.

"I’d like to do track, too," said Adolpho, an All-State selection in volleyball and basketball at Molokai.

The bar of that lofty goal — Adolpho was a high-jumper after all — has been lowered to just two sports the past three years. This year, it’s down to one … maybe.

"I’m just doing volleyball this year," the 6-foot-1 senior middle said. "The past few seasons, basketball was always in the back of my mind and I felt basketball was getting the short end of my time.

"I always felt like I was behind (when joining the team in late December). I’m excited to work out fully for just volleyball, focus on that specific workout."

As for the "maybe," Adolpho cannot work out with the basketball team after the volleyball season is done. So she said she is looking for something else to do.

Sand volleyball?

"Been thinking about that," she said. "I will do anything to help me stay in shape. I don’t know about track, but sand volleyball is a possibility. There’s not too many years that you’ll have this opportunity to do these things."

Adolpho, who also qualified for the state high school meet in the 800-meter event, ran cross country for the Farmers for a season, capping a 13-letter career.

This year, she is one of three seniors on the Rainbow Wahine volleyball team. Adolpho was second in blocks (0.93 bps) with a team-high 15 solo, and fourth in kills (2.0 kps). She played in all 30 matches and all but three sets of the 25-5 campaign.

"It’s going well so far," Adolpho said after Tuesday’s practice. "It’s a different team, a different dynamic, different personalities. It’s not good or bad or anything, it’s just different.

"And it’s different being one of the seniors. I really miss the seniors from last year, but that’s how it goes. I’m trying to be that senior leader for the new players like the seniors were to me the past three years."

Coach Dave Shoji said that Adolpho being able to concentrate on volleyball over the summer with sport-specific workouts will help her game and help the team.

"There’s not too many two-sport athletes in Division I," he said. "That she doesn’t have basketball hanging over her head allows her mind to be free-er and clearer for volleyball.

"Sand? It would be interesting to see her on the beach. Why not?"

UH sand volleyball coach Scott Wong, the associate coach for the indoor team, is somewhat open to the idea.

"We’ll see when we get there," said Wong, whose team finished third nationally at the AVCA sand championships in May. "She is an athlete."