Dave Shoji named all-time great coach by USA Volleyball
University of Hawai'i head coach Dave Shoji will be honored by USA Volleyball on August 30 as an All-Time Great Coach. Here's the story.
by Paul Soriano USA Volleyball Manager, Public Relations & Publications
University of Hawai'i head coach Dave Shoji has received numerous awards in his career. On August 30, he will receive his highest award when he is honored as an All-Time Great Coach by USA Volleyball before his team's season-opening match against Ohio State in Honolulu.
In receiving the 2002 Donald S. Shondell Contemporary Division Award, Shoji joins the company of the best volleyball coaches in history, including previous Olympic coaches as well as a few of his peers. The award is presented each year by USA Volleyball, the National Governing Body of the sport, to recognize the all-time great coaches of volleyball.
With 770 career wins at Hawaii (fourth on the NCAA victory list) and a career-winning percentage of .841 (second in the NCAA), Shoji has established the Rainbow Wahine volleyball program as one of the best in the country in his 27 seasons as head coach.
Five years after taking over the program in 1975, Shoji led the Wahines to the Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW) Championship in 1979, the school's first national team title. Shoji continued his winning tradition with NCAA Championships in 1982, 1983 and 1987. His team in 1983 was the first to win consecutive national championships, something only repeated by three other teams. In 1988 the Wahines made it to the final four, and in 1996 they lost the national championship match to Stanford.
Under Shoji, the Wahines have recorded 23 20-plus win seasons, including 13 30-plus winning seasons. The Wahines have finished the season ranked in the top 10 in 17-of-20 years, including 12 top-five finishes. He has never had a losing season at Hawaii, and all but one of his teams have earned a spot in postseason play. Since joining the Western Athletic Conference in 1996, the Wahines have dominated with an 87-1 conference record, five regular-season titles and two conference championships.
Shoji has coached 31 All-Americans, four Olympians and has been named the WAC Coach of the Year six times. In 1982, he was named the National Coach of the Year. On Oct. 30, 1999, against Fresno State, he became the seventh women's volleyball coach ever to reach his 700th career win.
Shoji attended UC Santa Barbara, where he earned honorable mention All-American honors as a junior and was a first-team All-American his senior year. After graduating with a bachelor's degree in physical education in 1969 and spending two years as an officer in the U.S. Army, he returned to Hawaii as the head coach for Kalani High School. Shoji now lives in Manoa, with his wife, the former Mary Tennefos, and his three children: Cobey, Kawika and Erik.
USA Volleyball's All-Time Great Coaches List
Donald S. Shondell Contemporary Division
1995-Doug Beal, Al Scates 1996-Marilyn McReavy-Nolen, Don Shondell 1997-Linda Dollar 1998-No award presented 1999-Marv Dunphy, Arie Selinger 2000-Andy Banachowski, Carl McGown 2001-Elaine Michaelis 2002-Dave Shoji
For more information, go to the USA Volleyball website.
University of Hawai'i head coach Dave Shoji has received numerous awards in his career. On August 30, he will receive his highest award when he is honored as an All-Time Great Coach by USA Volleyball before his team's season-opening match against Ohio State in Honolulu.
In receiving the 2002 Donald S. Shondell Contemporary Division Award, Shoji joins the company of the best volleyball coaches in history, including previous Olympic coaches as well as a few of his peers. The award is presented each year by USA Volleyball, the National Governing Body of the sport, to recognize the all-time great coaches of volleyball.
With 770 career wins at Hawaii (fourth on the NCAA victory list) and a career-winning percentage of .841 (second in the NCAA), Shoji has established the Rainbow Wahine volleyball program as one of the best in the country in his 27 seasons as head coach.
Five years after taking over the program in 1975, Shoji led the Wahines to the Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW) Championship in 1979, the school's first national team title. Shoji continued his winning tradition with NCAA Championships in 1982, 1983 and 1987. His team in 1983 was the first to win consecutive national championships, something only repeated by three other teams. In 1988 the Wahines made it to the final four, and in 1996 they lost the national championship match to Stanford.
Under Shoji, the Wahines have recorded 23 20-plus win seasons, including 13 30-plus winning seasons. The Wahines have finished the season ranked in the top 10 in 17-of-20 years, including 12 top-five finishes. He has never had a losing season at Hawaii, and all but one of his teams have earned a spot in postseason play. Since joining the Western Athletic Conference in 1996, the Wahines have dominated with an 87-1 conference record, five regular-season titles and two conference championships.
Shoji has coached 31 All-Americans, four Olympians and has been named the WAC Coach of the Year six times. In 1982, he was named the National Coach of the Year. On Oct. 30, 1999, against Fresno State, he became the seventh women's volleyball coach ever to reach his 700th career win.
Shoji attended UC Santa Barbara, where he earned honorable mention All-American honors as a junior and was a first-team All-American his senior year. After graduating with a bachelor's degree in physical education in 1969 and spending two years as an officer in the U.S. Army, he returned to Hawaii as the head coach for Kalani High School. Shoji now lives in Manoa, with his wife, the former Mary Tennefos, and his three children: Cobey, Kawika and Erik.
USA Volleyball's All-Time Great Coaches List
Donald S. Shondell Contemporary Division
1995-Doug Beal, Al Scates 1996-Marilyn McReavy-Nolen, Don Shondell 1997-Linda Dollar 1998-No award presented 1999-Marv Dunphy, Arie Selinger 2000-Andy Banachowski, Carl McGown 2001-Elaine Michaelis 2002-Dave Shoji
For more information, go to the USA Volleyball website.
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