HONOLULU—University of Hawai'i beach volleyball head coach Jeff Hall announced the signing of three players for the 2018 season: Presley Forbes, Lea Monkhouse, Julianna "Pani" Napoleon.
 
Forbes is a 5-4 player out of Mira Costa High School in Manhattan Beach, Calif. She is the youngest player ever to get a California Beach Volleyball Association rating, earning her AA at the age of 10. She currently has held her AAA ranking for three straight years and was ranked fourth overall in 2016 with numerous Junior and Open victories to her credit over the years.
 
"Presley is from the Mecca of beach volleyball, Manhattan Beach, where she is simply one of the most decorated junior beach players ever," states Hall. "She's been playing beach volleyball from birth and her volleyball IQ is off the charts while her touch on the ball is second to none. Forbes will bring a competitive fire to Manoa and a burning desire to keep up her winning ways at the collegiate level.
 
Monkhouse's biggest accomplishments in beach volleyball include winning the 2016 Canadian National championships (18U); winning the 22U and 18U Ontario Provincial championships in 2016. The 6-0 player from Lorne Park High School in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada also competed in the United States, where she placed fifth at the 18U AAU Nationals, fifth at the USAV High Performance Championships (19u); and fifth at the West Coast Junior Olympic Games.
 
"Lea is one of the top youth beach players in Canada with an impressive list of accomplishments on both sides of the border," says Hall. "She is long and lean with solid fundamentals and a high reach that allows her to get on top of the ball. She's a great addition to our program.
 
Napoleon is a 5-8 player out of Bonita Vista High School in Chula Vista, Calif. As an indoor standout, Napoleon was a first team all-league selection in 2015. She has since turned her focus full time to beach volleyball this past summer. Napoleon won the Volley OC Collegiate Showcase in Huntington Beach last month and finished fifth overall at this year's 18U Cal Cup Championships in Manhattan Beach.
 
"Pani is a great athlete with a powerful arm. She's a San Diego native of Samoan descent whose booming spikes will make her a fan favorite in Hawai'i," says Hall. "She's a late convert from the indoor side who is still learning the beach game but we expect great things from her as she gains more experience playing on the beach."
 
"We are very happy with this year's incoming class. All of them bring tremendous talent to our program and all will help us with our ultimate goal of winning a National Championship for Hawai'i," states Hall. "The 'Sandbows' future looks promising with this incoming class mixed with a veteran core of returning players."
 
2018 Signees
Presley Forbes – 5-4, Mira Costa HS (Manhattan Beach, Calif.)
Lea Monkhouse – 6-0, Lorne Park HS (Mississauga, Ontario, Canada)
Julianna "Pani" Napoleon – 5-8, Bonita Vista HS (Chula Vista, Calif.)