This message was shared with the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa athletics community on July 21, 2025.
Dear UH Athletics ʻOhana,
It is with the deepest gratitude that I say mahalo nui loa to all of you for the warm welcome and spirit of aloha that you have shared with Allison, Kai and me during the first three weeks as Athletics Director of the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. The strength and resilience of the Rainbow Warriors and Rainbow Wahine are apparent everywhere on campus and across our state. To the flight attendants on Hawaiian Airlines, the high school coach in the Alakea Street building elevator, the family in Kapiʻolani Park, the staff in the UH student center, and so many more, we hear you. Your pride in UH Athletics is immeasurable and your desire to support our student-athletes and teams is unmatched. We have a duty to elevate the program to meet the new standards in the current era of college athletics, and we will.
Since arriving on campus, it is clear to me that UH Athletics is primed to build on our esteemed history and create a new legacy. As we excitedly await moments like when our football team runs onto the field at Clarence T.C. Ching Complex on August 23 in front of an electric crowd of 15,000, the preparation for that moment is ongoing and intense.
Student-athletes are here every day, often before 6am, honing their craft and striving to get better. Coaches, athletic performance, sports medicine, communications personnel, and others are on the field, in the weight room and behind the scenes to support their growth. At the same time, basketball and volleyball students are grinding, putting up shots, perfecting serves, and getting ready. Countless other students are also training, competing and striving for excellence all around the planet. The life of a student-athlete, coach, and staff member is to constantly prepare and improve to best represent UH. Collectively, they are OUR TEAM. HAWAIʻI‘S TEAM.
