Hawai‘i Athletics launches Shoji Society

The University of Hawai‘i recently announced the launch of the Shoji Society, a new fundraising initiative for its athletics department.

Named after legendary former UH women's volleyball coach Dave Shoji, the Shoji Society was introduced as a new way to honor those who donate $50,000 or more to Hawai‘i Athletics annually. Membership in the Shoji Society starts with a minimum pledge of $50,000 a year for five years, with membership perks set to be unveiled soon.

A press conference was held on Wednesday morning to announce the birth of the Shoji Society, a branch of newly-launched 'Bows Athletic Club. Hawai‘i athletics director Matt Elliott, men's volleyball coach Charlie Wade, women's basketball coach Khalilah Mitchell and Shoji himself all spoke of the impact the new initiative will bring to the school.

Funds raised by Shoji Society members will go towards student-athlete support, which includes NIL and scholarship funds, as well as facility improvements. Donors also have the option to directly support UH teams of their choice.

"Whether it's folks that support us through ticket sales, support us through coming and being a part of our games wherever they take place, and the folks that are philanthropic and generous for UH athletics, that's really the focus today: is us being able to share our gratitude, share our deep appreciation for everybody in this community, past, present, and future, that allows UH athletics to do what it does and be successful in the way that we represent this community," Elliott said in the press conference.

The star of the show, without a doubt, was Shoji, who coached the UH women's volleyball team from 1975 to 2016, racking up 1,107 wins and four national titles. UH leadership found it appropriate to honor Shoji, who humbly accepted the use of his name in the initiative.

Shoji, 79, talked about how his support of UH began during his childhood, back when his father was a professor at the university for over a decade. His two sons, Kawika and Erik, went on to become national championship men's volleyball players at Stanford, but they remained lifelong fans of the Rainbow Wahine and Rainbow Warriors, looking up UH football box scores no matter where in the world they were playing.

"I just want to encourage everybody out there, if you check the box score on Sunday morning, I think you should give whatever you can give to UH because we need the support and we need just to stay up with the rest of the country," Shoji said.

Mitchell, just months into her new gig, discussed the impact of what the funds from the Shoji Society can do for her program as it enters its first year of Mountain West membership.

"People ask me what investment in women's basketball actually buys, and here's my honest answer: It buys opportunity," Mitchell said, explaining that financial support allows her staff to go on recruiting trips, allows her players more resources for mental and physical health, and provides countless options for her program to thrive.

When it was Wade's turn to speak, he told a story about how he owes a large part of his success to Shoji. It was Shoji who brought in Wade as an assistant coach in 1995. Wade returned to the Islands in 2010 to take over the men's program, which won its third national title in May.

"It really is an honor to to be a part of this, and obviously Dave and I go back. I literally would not be standing here before you if it wasn't for Dave Shoji," Wade said. "He took a flyer on me in August in '95. We were in Florida, and he asked me to go to dinner. ... The original plan was for me to come and be here for four months. Turned out to be a little longer than that."

Christian Shimabuku can be reached at christian@alohastatedaily.com.

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