UH Inducts Three Into Sports Circle of Honor - Hawaii News Now - KGMB and KHNL

UH Inducts Three Into Sports Circle of Honor

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HONOLULU – (Hawaii Athletics) The University of Hawai‘i Athletics Department is proud to recognize three outstanding individuals as the newest inductees into the UH Sports Circle of Honor. The Class of 2012 includes Allen Allen (men's volleyball), Kanoe (Kamana‘o) Ka‘aihue (women's volleyball), and Maureen O'Toole-Purcell (swimming/water polo).

 

The three inductees will be officially enshrined as the Circle's 31st class during Friday's women's volleyball match at the Stan Sheriff Center. They will also be introduced to the crowd at Saturday's Homecoming football game at Hawaiian Airlines Field at Aloha Stadium.

 

The official Circle of Honor press conference will be held on Friday at 11:00 a.m. at the Stan Sheriff Center's Ed Wong Hospitality Room.

 

The Circle of Honor started in 1982 to recognize individuals and teams that have contributed to the growth, history and tradition of UH Athletics. The total number of inductees in the Circle of Honor is 99, including this year's honorees. Ten teams have also been enshrined. Plaques honoring the individuals and teams are anchored on the inner walls surrounding the main concourse of the Stan Sheriff Center. 

 

Brief biographies of the 2012 Circle of Honor inductees are listed below: 

UH's first three-time All-American in men's volleyball, Allen Allen rewrote the school's record book during his career from 1986-89. Nicknamed the "A-Bomb," he helped transform the Rainbow volleyball team into a national power, ascending to the No. 1 ranking in 1989.

 

A two-time first team AVCA All-American in 1988 and '89, Allen finished his career with school records for kills (1,483), kill average (4.83), kill attempts (3,151), block solos (112), digs (739), and dig average (2.41) and held the single-match record of 38 kills.

 

His teams advanced to postseason play three times, and fell one win shy of the national tournament in 1989. Crowd flocked tiny Klum Gym to watch him play and the sport of men's volleyball grew in popularity throughout the state.

 

Following his career, he spent four years with U.S. National Team followed by a professional career on the beach and in Europe. Currently, Allen is an assistant coach with the Gonzaga women's volleyball team.

 

Following a long line of great women's volleyball setters at UH is ‘Iolani School alum Kanoe Kamana‘o. A four-year starter from 2003-06, she led the Rainbow Wahine to a combined record of 122-16.

 

Upon completion of her career, Kamana‘o was just the second UH player to earn AVCA All-America honors four times. She led her teams to four NCAA Regional appearances and to the national semifinals in 2003.

 

She was a three-time Western Athletic Conference Player of the Year, WAC Freshman of the Year and two-time Joe Kearney Award recipient as the WAC's top athlete. She also earned the school's Jack Bonham Award in 2007, the most prestigious award given by the school.

 

Kamana‘o finished her career seventh all-time in NCAA assists and ranked among the school's leaders in digs and service aces.

 

Kamana‘o is currently employed at Hawaiian Airlines.

 

A three-time All-American swimmer at UH from 1983-84, Maureen O'Toole made a name for herself in the sport of water polo, where she is highly regarded as the best player in U.S. history.

 

At UH, O'Toole was a member of both the 200- and 400-freestyle relay teams that set school records. In water polo, she was selected to the U.S. National Team at the age of 17 and one year later, played in the inaugural FINA World Cup, making the all-world team.

 

In her career, we won six World Championship MVPs, 15 U.S. MVPs, and was a four-time Sportswoman of the Year by the U.S. Olympic Committee. At the age of 39, she came out of retirement to compete in the 2000 Olympics, helping the U.S. to a silver medal.

 

She was also inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame as a honor water polo player and to the USA Water Polo Hall of Fame. In 2010, she received the NCAA's Silver Anniversary Award.

 

O'Toole is the founder of The Pursuit of Excellence Sports Academy, a non-profit organization.