HAWAII GROWN: Anae tops D-I players from Hawaii

When Adora Anae was deciding between Hawaii and Utah as a senior at Kahuku, she talked about how much she’d miss her family if she left.

Now a senior at Utah and four years removed from one of the most difficult decisions of her life, Anae has thrived with the Utes’ volleyball team with a few in her family still right by her side.

Anae lives with her cousin, Wendy, who is on the Utes’ basketball team, as well as younger brother Bradlee, a sophomore defensive end on the football team. She has another cousin and a best friend in the house as well.

In her words, it’s just like it was growing up in a big family on the North Shore.

“It’s always a party in our house,” Anae said after practice Wednesday. “We’re never homesick having each other around and we’re just enjoying the college life.”

A prized recruit out of Kahuku, the 6-foot-2 senior has more than lived up to the billing in college. Anae is a two-time, first-team All-Pac-12 selection and was named a second-team All-American as a junior.

This year, she has helped the Utes to a 5-1 start and a No. 18 national ranking after earning three wins back home in Hawaii last weekend, culminating with a four-set victory over the Rainbow Wahine on Sunday.

“Our first game in the Stan Sheriff gave me chills because I always dreamed of playing in there growing up,” Anae said. “Watching games all the time there and then actually playing and being able to go on the court was something totally different. It was surreal.”

Utah is one of two Division I schools with three players from Hawaii. Sophomore setter Bailey Choy, a 2016 ‘Iolani graduate, played in all 32 matches as a freshman and made 28 starts. Middle blocker Phoebe Grace is in her first year with the Utes after graduating from Kahuku last spring.

“Phoebe was my younger sister’s classmate at Kahuku so I’d always walk by her and say ‘hey little Phoebe,” Anae said of Grace, who is now 6-foot-2. “She’s one of the more mature ones in the younger generation.

“Bailey is a leader for us. She has this great work ethic and dishes the ball so well and is just a natural setter. She’s got a lot of confidence in herself and her teammates and that really helps.”

Grace and Anae are two of five Kahuku alums playing D-I girls volleyball. Of the 54 total listed, 13 are from Punahou, followed by eight each from Kamehameha and defending state champion ‘Iolani.

Here’s the full list of 54 players who graduated from Hawaii high schools playing Division I collegiate volleyball on the mainland:

ALABAMA CRIMSON TIDE
Samantha Worley (‘Iolani ‘17) 5-7, Fr, L/DS

AMERICAN UNIVERSITY EAGLES
Hoakalei Dawson (‘Iolani ‘14) 5-10, Sr, S/L

ARIZONA WILDCATS
Sara Watanabe (‘Iolani ‘16) 5-9, So, L/DS

ARMY BLACK KNIGHTS
Nikki Lum (Punahou ‘16) 5-6, So, S
Ana Oglivie (‘Iolani ‘17) 5-6, Fr, S

BRIGHAM YOUNG UNIVERSITY COUGARS
Alohi Robins-Hardy (Kamehameha ‘14) 6-2, Sr, S
Kiani Tuileta (Punahou ‘15) 5-10, So, S

BUTLER BULLDOGS
Taylor Takeda (Kamehameha ‘14) 5-4, Jr, L

CAL STATE NORTHRIDGE MATADORS
Kamalu Makekau-Whittaker (KS-Hawaii ‘16) 6-0, So, S

CHARLESTON SOUTHERN BUCCANEERS
Hannah Tavares (Hawaii Baptist ‘16) 5-4, Fr, DS

COLORADO BUFFALOES
Lillie Klemmer (Punahou ‘16) 5-11, So, MB/OPP

DARTMOUTH BIG GREEN
Zoe Leonard (KS-Hawaii ‘15) 5-10, Jr, L

DEPAUL BLUE DEMONS
Shayla-Ann Santos (Sacred Hearts ‘17) 5-8, Fr, DS/L

EAST CAROLINA PIRATES
Brandee Markwith (Punahou ‘16) 5-8, So, L

EASTERN WASHINGTON EAGLES
Ashelyn Jones (Roosevelt ‘15) 6-1, Jr, OH/OPP

GEORGE MASON PATRIOTS
Sydney Fanoga (Punahou ‘14) 6-0, Sr, MB

GONZAGA BULLDOGS
Tiyana Hallums (Kamehameha ‘15) 5-10, Jr, DS/OH

HARVARD CRIMSON
Anna Uhr (‘Iolani ‘15) 5-8, Jr, OH
Sandra Zeng (Punahou ‘17) 5-9, Fr, OPP

JACKSON STATE TIGERS
Markayisha Masani (University ‘15) 5-9, Jr, OH
Kanilea Nomura (Kekaulike ‘17) 5-11, Fr, MB

KANSAS STATE WILDCATS
Reilly Killeen (‘Iolani ‘15) 5-4, Jr, L/DS

MIAMI HURRICANES
Alyssa Basdavanos (Punahou ’14) 5-8, Sr, DS

MONTANA GRIZZLIES
Silerolia Gaogao (Moanalua ‘15) 5-11, Jr, OH

NEVADA WOLF PACK
Shayla Hoeft (Seabury Hall ‘16) 6-2, So, MB
Kayla Afoa (Kamehameha ‘17) 5-9, Fr, OH

NEW MEXICO LOBOS
Ashley Kelsey (Campbell ‘12) 6-0, Sr, OH

NORTH TEXAS MEAN GREEN
Eimanie Thomas (Mid-Pacific ‘17) 6-0, Fr, RS

OKLAHOMA SOONERS
Halia Hogan (‘Iolani ‘17) 5-11, Fr, MB
Kira Morikawa (Punahou ‘17) 5-7, Fr, DS

OREGON DUCKS
Kyra Hanawahine (Kamehameha ‘17) 5-2, Fr, DS

OREGON STATE BEAVERS
Shekinah Clarke (Kapolei ‘15) 5-10, Jr, OH

PEPPERDINE WAVES
Hana Lishman (Punahou ‘16) 5-8, So, L

PITTSBURGH PANTHERS
Kamalani Akeo (Kamehameha ‘15) 5-7, Jr, S

PORTLAND PILOTS
Kassidy Naone (Le Jardin ‘17) 5-11, Fr, OH
Carey Williams (Kahuku ‘17) 5-7, Fr, DS/L

PRINCETON TIGERS
Kelly Matthews (Punahou ‘14) 5-10, Sr, OH/RS

SAINT FRANCIS (PENN.) UNIVERSITY RED FLASH
Ariel Halemano (Kapolei ‘16) 5-10, Fr, RS/MB

SAN JOSE STATE UNIVERSITY SPARTANS
Jamie Hirai (Mid-Pacific ‘14) 5-7, Sr, L

SEATTLE U. REDHAWKS
Aly Borje-Bonkowski (Maryknoll ’16) 5-4, So, L

SIENA (N.Y.) COLLEGE SAINTS
Jojo Ishida (Mid-Pacific ‘17) 5-6, Fr, L/DS

TEMPLE OWLS
Mia Heirakuji (Kamehameha ‘15) 5-5, Jr, DS/L
Averi Salvador (Punahou ‘17) 5-5, Fr, DS/L

TEXAS A&M AGGIES
Kiana Peroff (Punahou ’16) 6-2, So, OH

TEXAS TECH RED RAIDERS
Reyn Akiu (Kamehameha ‘15) 5-2, Jr, DS/L

UC RIVERSIDE HIGHLANDERS
Ka‘iulani Ahuna (KS-Hawaii ‘15) 5-10, Jr, OH

UNLV REBELS
Leka Kiner-Falefa (Mid-Pacific ‘16) 5-8, So, DS/L

UTAH UTES
Bailey Choy (‘Iolani ’16) 5-9, So, S
Adora Anae (Kahuku ‘14) 6-1, Sr, OH/RS
Phoebe Grace (Kahuku ‘17) 6-2, Fr, MB

UTAH VALLEY WOLVERINES
Jasmine Niutupuivaha (Kahuku ’16) 5-11, So, MB

WINTHROP (S.C.) EAGLES
Puaoolelagi Sao (Kahuku ‘17) 5-6, Fr, DS
Keaupono Fey (Punahou ‘14) 6-0, Sr, MB
Siani Yamaguchi (Kalaheo ’16) 5-8, So, S