Assistant Coach Kari Anderson
Former Rainbow Wahine setter Kari Anderson
begins her third year as an assistant under her former coach Dave
Shoji.
"It's a great honor to be working for
Dave," Anderson said. "Dave is an obvious mentor to
me, having played for him and now coaching alongside him. It's
a great opportunity that comes once in a lifetime, and I feel
honored to have that privilege."
Anderson's main responsibilities include charting
the academic progress of the players, providing administrative
assistance and working directly with the setters during practice.
As a four-year letterwinner for the Rainbow
Wahine, Anderson still ranks fifth all-time on the UH career list
with 2,385 assists and a 10.51 assist average. During her junior
and senior seasons, she captained the squad and was also named
second-team all-Big West in 1992. Anderson graduated from UH with
a bachelor's degree in business administration in international
business in 1995.
As a coach, Anderson has made a big impact
on the program. Last season, setter Nikki Hubbert broke the school's
single season record for assists (1,782) and assist average (14.61).
"Kari is a very good and emerging coach,"
Shoji said. "She's really coming into her own. After two
years on the job, she has taken a bigger role in the gym. Kari
is really confident in her teaching ability, and I think she's
ready to take that next step to becoming a first assistant at
a big-time program or a head coach very soon."
Anderson made her way to Hawai'i as a highly-touted
prepster out of Columbia Heights High School in Minnesota where
she guided her team to consecutive state championships in 1989
and 1990. Her many accolades include Metro Area Player-of-the-Year,
four All-America teams, all-state, all-Metro Area and all-conference.
For the last six years, Anderson has served
as a coach for the Asics Rainbow Volleyball Club. This summer,
her team captured the 14-Open title among 32 teams at the Junior
Olympic National Championships in New Orleans, La.
Her hobbies include running, reading, hiking
and going to the beach. She is also a Special Olympics volunteer.