ISLE FILE
Vorderbruegge named HPU basketball coach
Advertiser Staff
Hawai'i Pacific University has named Darren Vorderbruegge to lead the men's basketball program in 2006-07.
Vorderbruegge succeeds Kelly Wells, who accepted the head coaching job at Pikeville College in his home state of Kentucky.
Vorderbruegge comes to HPU from Northwest Missouri State University in Maryville, Mo., where he spent six seasons, the latter two as the associate head coach. He will also be HPU's assistant athletic director.
"This is a great opportunity professionally for my family and me, so we're definitely very excited," Vorderbruegge said in a prepared statement. "We've already met so many good people and can't wait to get started at HPU."
Vorderbruegge has 20 years of high school and collegiate coaching experience. Northwest Missouri State, a Division II school in the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association, went 22-10 this past season and advanced to the Sweet 16 in the NCAA Division II Tournament.
In Vorderbruegge's six years at Northwest, the Bearcats averaged 25 wins a season and twice reached the Elite Eight in the NCAA Division II Tournament. He was responsible for most of the basketball operations and recruiting as associate head coach.
"Coach V's contacts throughout the nation will be invaluable in recruiting top quality student-athletes to HPU," HPU President Chatt Wright said. "We are extremely happy that he has decided to bring his talent and passion to the Sea Warrior basketball program."
VOLLEYBALL
HAKALA EARNS HONOR
University of Hawai'i volleyball player Lauri Hakala was named to ESPN The Magazine's Academic All-District VII Men's At-Large first team, the school announced yesterday.
The College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) made the selections.
"Lauri Hakala is a true student-athlete," UH coach Mike Wilton said. "He's our poster player for academics."
Hakala's cumulative grade-point average (3.88) is nearly as high as his kills-per-game average (3.97). As a second-year junior, Hakala was the Warriors' starting opposite attacker.
Four other members of the 2006 Warriors have cumulative GPAs of at least 3.0 — middle blocker Kyle Klinger (3.66), opposite attacker Johnny Matt Bender (3.28), outside hitter Eric Kalima (3.18) and libero Ernie Vidinha (3.07). Bender graduated two weeks ago.
In related news, Loyola (Chicago) will replace Indiana-Purdue-Fort Wayne (IPFW) as the Midwest representative in next year's UH-hosted Outrigger Invitational in the Stan Sheriff Center.
Loyola won the Midwest Intercollegiate Volleyball Association's regular-season title, but IPFW claimed the league's tournament championship and automatic berth in the NCAA Championships. IPFW originally agreed to participate in the Jan. 26-27 tournament, but opted out because of a scheduling conflict.
SAILING
UH SINKS TO 13TH
The sixth-ranked University of Hawai'i women's sailing team fell two spots to 13th yesterday at the Intercollegiate Sailing Association Women's Dinghy Championship in Charleston, S.C.
The Rainbow Wahine saw their titles hopes sink after falling more than 100 points off the lead. Hawai'i has 274 points. Host College of Charleston leads the 18-team fleet with a low-best 166 points. Stanford is second with 191, followed by Saint Mary's (Md.) with 198. First-day leader Hobart College, of Geneva, N.Y., fell to ninth with 248.
UH's Tinja Anderson-Mitterling and Cassie Harris totaled 150 points, good for 14th place in A division. Teammates Shandy Buckley and Crystal Bronte were 11th in B division with 137 points.
The event concludes today with eight races on the Cooper River.
