Despite losing Maryknoll alumna Jhenna Gabriel, who transferred to UNLV, No. 1 Texas still is relying on Hawaii for its starting setter.
Senior Saige Ka‘aha‘aina- Torres, who began her college career at Utah, has started five of six matches for the top-ranked Longhorns (6-0) and is averaging 11.65 assists per set, which leads the nation in matches played through Sunday.
She is one of three players from Hawaii playing for Texas. Sophomore libero Keonilei Akana played 53 matches in two seasons at Nebraska before joining the Longhorns this season. She’s contributed 26 digs, nine assists and three aces.
Freshman Devin Kahahawai, who like Akana is a Kamehameha alumna, is hitting .222 with 11 kills and five block assists in 12 sets played.
There are 68 players on mainland Division I rosters who graduated from high school in Hawaii. Punahou leads the way with 15 players, followed by 14 from Kamehameha.
HAWAII GROWN: WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL
A list of 68 players who graduated from high school in Hawaii playing for mainland Division I schools:
Name School Ht. Cl. Pos. High school
Kayla Afoa Nevada 5-9 Sr. OH Kamehameha
Keonilei Akana Texas 5-9 So. L Kamehameha
Lexis Akeo Pittsburgh 5-8 Sr. S Kamehameha
Jolei Akima Cal Poly 5-6 Jr. L/DS Kamehameha
Ashli Alcala-Romero Army 5-5 Fr. L Maryknoll
Siela Avea South Carolina St. 5-10 Jr. OPP Kahuku
Madisyn Beirne Fairleigh Dickinson 5-11 Jr. OH Punahou
Jordan Bardouche Portland 5-5 Fr. L/DS Roosevelt
Shelby Capllonch Utah State 5-8 Sr. OH Damien
Nicanora Clarke Nevada 6-0 Fr. OH/OPP Waianae
Vanessa Collins Arkansas Pine Bluff 5-4 Sr. S Roosevelt
Hula Crisostomo UTEP 5-1 Sr. L/DS Moanalua
Bailey Darnell UC Irvine 5-8 Jr. DS Radford
Falanika Danielson Temple 5-5 So. L Mililani
Siena DeCambra Louisiana-Lafayette 5-8 So. S Baldwin
Tara DeSa California 5-5 Jr. L Kamehameha
Naya Dong UC San Diego 5-5 Sr. L ‘Iolani
Kaia Dunford Oral Roberts 5-11 Jr. OH Punahou
Rhyenne Filisi Toledo 6-2 Sr. MB Maryknoll
Jhenna Gabriel UNLV 5-8 Sr. S Maryknoll
Pono Gacutan Northeastern 5-5 Fr. L/DS Punahou
Aleeyah Galdeira North Texas 5-6 Sr. L/DS Kamehameha
Amariis Garcia St. John’s 6-1 Jr. MB Moanalua
Erin Goya Seattle U. 5-5 So. L/DS Mid-Pacific
Anuhea Hauanio-Lore, Navy, 5-9, Fr., OH, ’Iolani
Isabelle Iosua Utah Tech 6-0 Fr. MB/OH Punahou
Saige Ka’aha’aina-Torres Texas 6-0 Sr. S ‘Iolani
Chloe Ka’ahanui Quinnipiac 5-8 Jr. S Punahou
Devin Kahahawai Texas 6-4 Fr. OH Kamehameha
Keau Kamake’eaina Gonzaga 5-10 Jr. S Kahuku
Janne Kaniho San Jose St. 5-8 So. S Kamehameha
Ka’ehukaiiha’amaina‘e Keala E. Wash. 6-3 Sr. RS/MB Mid-Pacific
Isha Knight UNLV 5-7 So. L/DS Kamehameha
Nadia Koanui Cal St. Fullerton 5-7 Fr. L/DS Kamehameha
Sia Liilii Nevada 6-1 So. OH/OPP Punahou
Lyric Love Jacksonville 5-10 Jr. MB King Kekaulike
Mehana Ma’a UC Santa Barbara 6-1 Sr. S Punahou
Malie McClure Cal State Fullerton 5-9 Sr. L/OH Kamehameha
Aria McComber BYU 5-6 Sr. L Punahou
Kristen McDaniel N.C. State 5-9 Sr. S ‘Iolani
McKenzy Metter Columbia 5-6 Sr. L/DS Punahou
Aysia Miller UMBC 5-10 Jr. L Mililani
Faavae Kimsel Moe Quinnipiac 5-6 So. L/DS Punahou
Alyssa Muraoka UNLV 5-6 So. L Mid-Pacific
Megan Nishimura Pacific (Calif.) 5-8 So. L ‘Iolani
Elena Oglivie Stanford 5-10 Jr. L ‘Iolani
Teia Piette Harvard 5-5 So. L Le Jardin
Maui Robins Portland 5-11 Fr. OH Kamehameha
Nikki Saito Temple 5-3 Jr. DS Maryknoll
Becca Sakoda Illinois 5-0 So. L/DS ‘Iolani
Nikki Shimao Temple 5-5 So. DS/S ‘Iolani
Zoe Slaughter Auburn 5-7 Fr. L Moanalua
Bryanne Soares Oral Roberts 5-7 Jr. S Kamehameha
Nani Spaar Santa Clara 6-0 Jr. OH KS-Hawaii
Jeslyn Spencer Oral Roberts 5-8 Sr. OH Moanalua
Alyssa Sugai San Jose St. 6-3 Sr. OH/RS Punahou
Savannah Taosoga Grambling St. 5-10 So. OH Kahuku
Kahua Tilton Idaho St. 5-9 Jr. S Kamehameha
Heipua Tautua’a San Diego St. 6-1 Jr. OH Waianae
Makena Tong UC Riverside 5-6 Fr. S/DS University
Mokihana Tufono UCLA 5-10 Fr. S ‘Iolani
Nive Tuileta Santa Clara 5-10 So. S Le Jardin
Sina Uluave Toledo 5-11 Sr. OH Punahou
Kalena Vaivai Oral Roberts 5-9 Sr. S King Kekaulike
Grace Wee Santa Clara 5-6 Sr. L/DS ‘Iolani
Lucky-Rose Williams Virginia Tech 6-2 Fr. OH Punahou
Kate Yoshimoto Colorado St. 5-2 Fr. DS Punahou
Sheena Yoshioka St. John’s 5-3 Sr. L/DS Punahou
