MEET THE MANA WAHINE
shining. I felt a sense of pride as we pro- gressed throughout the day and was so lucky to have a great team alongside me. What has OCC’s volleyball commu- nity given you off the court? The OCC volleyball community has giv- en me endless opportunities and strong lifelong friendships. Looking back, I real- ize how lucky I was to get to be a part of a competitive beach volleyball team that travelled every summer. I feel so much pride to have learned beach volleyball in Waikīkī where the sport was born and to have traveled and showcased my skills. Through OCC, I’ve been able to trav- el and play against some of the stiffest competition out there, which was always a great experience. I truly feel blessed to have been part of such an amazing community. How has volleyball helped shape your confidence, leadership, or sense of self? Volleyball has taught me that approach- ing everything with confidence is key.
Like many other athletes, my sense of self was heavily reliant on my sport. For years, my life felt like it was based around volleyball. There was a lot of blood, sweat, and definitely tears poured into the sport. I always felt pride in be- ing a volleyball player, so not playing anymore was a hard choice to make at first. However, I’ve noticed that my ex- periences in volleyball have made me a more confident person. Showing up to practice on hard days takes confidence, continuing to play when you’re down takes confidence, and making the choice to be the best you can be every day takes confidence. What’s one thing people might be surprised to learn about you as a teammate or player? One time, my partner and I were playing in a BVCA tournament in California and spoke only in Hawaiian to throw the oth- er team off—and it worked!
How did you first get involved with volleyball, and what drew you to playing at OCC? I became interested in volleyball in the fourth grade. I was curious and decided to try out despite having no previous ex- perience. Tryout day came, and sadly, I got cut. Something in me told me not to give up, so I asked my dad to put me in volleyball clinics. I ended up loving it and eventually joined a club team, and every- thing took off from there. I was first exposed to beach volleyball when I was 11 years old at Queen’s Beach. Not only was it fun, but I also fell in love with the community that it came with. It wasn’t until my freshman year of high school that I joined the OCC beach team. What initially drew me and my family to the Club was the high level of play and excellent coaching. My time on the OCC team definitely made me a more confi- dent and improved athlete. How would you describe yourself as a volleyball player? I would describe myself as a scrappy and explosive player. Because I’m only 5’5, I’ve always trained as a defender on the beach, and I’ve learned how to move quickly in the sand. The biggest thing for me was learning how to use these strengths to my advantage. In the seven years I’ve played beach volleyball, I’ve learned that I’m extremely competitive, and I play with a lot of energy and aggres- sion. After an undefeated run, what did winning the Mana Wahine tourna- ment mean to you personally? Winning the tournament made me re- alize that I still have it! I didn’t come in expecting to win because for the past five months I’ve been in college and haven’t touched a volleyball once. I joined the Mana Wahine tournament last minute and went in just trying to have fun. It meant a lot to just be back at OCC—to feel the sand under my feet and the sun
Teammates Jada Souza, Ava Hipa, Peri Green, and Samantha Bartholow dominated the Mana Wahine Tournament in December 2025, finishing undefeated.
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