Culture and education. It is reflected in the advanced degree process for Ginger Long, where the graduate student is finishing a master’s in educational administration with a master’s certificate in Cultural Preservation.
That duality also is reflected in Long’s two-sport career of indoor and beach volleyball at Hawaii, and where she’ll have a second senior night sendoff tonight.
“It’s pretty cool,” said Long, whose other senior celebration came in the final home match of the 2014 indoor season. “I think both the indoor and beach teams have been fantastic teams with a great group of girls.
COLLEGIATE BEACH VOLLEYBALL
Today, 4 p.m.
Ching Complex courts Boise State (4-3)
at No. 5 Hawaii (10-6)
“I ended my indoor career on a good note and it’s a good feeling getting to finish like this with beach. I’m getting to play a lot and it’s been awesome.”
While the Kamehameha-Maui graduate was used mostly in a reserve role during three indoor seasons — she redshirted as a true freshman — Long has played in key role for the fifth-ranked SandBows (10-6). Playing with Mikayla Tucker the past 15 matches, the duo has gone 12-3 and puts a seven-match win streak on the line against Boise State in the regular-season home finale tonight at the Ching Complex courts.
“Ginger’s had a great season and has had some great wins for us,” Hawaii assistant coach Evan Silberstein said. “She’s a talented athlete and great competitor. She brought a lot of maturity when she returned this season.
Long played three beach seasons before taking last year off to complete her undergraduate degree. Head coach Jeff Hall was glad that she returned for a final season.
“It’s been nothing but positives,” Hall said. “She’s a really great athlete who wants to win badly, wants to win every drill, and she’s been helping us win big matches.”
Long is one of three Wahine who will be honored tonight. The others are All-American Katie Spieler and Heather Boyan, the latter who is still recuperating from a serious fall suffered in February that ended her career.
“I am really excited to see what our legacy will be,” Long said. “I want to leave the ingrained sense of hard work 24-7. You see that with Katie on the court and Heather in the weight room. That’s what I hope we leave.”
