HONOLULU – The University of Hawai'i beach volleyball team has received a $3,000 grant from the Outrigger Duke Kahanamoku Foundation. Team grants are awarded to sports teams that support Hawai'i's waterman community, help develop Hawai'i's best athletes, and connect keiki to Duke's legacy.
 
Currently the Hawai'i beach team relies on the UH athletic budget as well as fundraising opportunities to cover their expenses. The grant will be used to assist with travel costs, particularly related to post-season travel.
 
"The Outrigger Duke Kahanamoku Foundation honors the legacy of Hawai'i's greatest waterman and ambassador of aloha, Duke Kahanamoku, by continuing to support Hawai'i's keiki through scholarships and grants that allow for a transformational impact in the growing lives of Hawai'i's youth," said the foundation's representative Billy Pratt. "We're honored to include the University of Hawai'i Rainbow Wahine beach volleyball team as a recipient of this year's grant."
 
"The team continues to not only compete at the highest level, consistently contending for a national title, but they also proudly represent the state of Hawai'i by sharing the aloha spirit which uniquely defines us" said Pratt. "The team's emphasis on representing Hawai'i with pride, dignity, and respect has bred a culture that aligns with the legacy of Duke Kahanamoku. We congratulate and wish the best of luck to the Rainbow Wahine beach volleyball program."
 
Most people recognize Duke Kahanamoku for his accolades in water sports but are unaware of his association to the start of beach volleyball.
 
"Beach volleyball was founded in Hawai'i in 1915 by George David "Dad" Center: Duke's coach, friend, mentor, and his sometime beach volleyball partner," said UH assistant coach Evan Silberstein. "Their travels together to California had a big hand in the growth of the game on the West Coast. It's Duke's spirit of ambassadorship that drives our program forward every day in practice and on every trip we take."
 
The SandBows will host their season opener in honor of Duke Kahanamoku in the Outrigger Duke Kahanamoku Beach Classic on February 23rd and 24th. Joining UH In the tournament are Stanford, Saint Mary's, Pepperdine, and defending national champion UCLA.