Dana Takahara-Dias enters her third season as the head coach of the University of Hawai‘i Rainbow Wahine basketball team. Last season, the 'Bows tallied an overall record 11-19 and posted a 5-11 mark in Western Athletic Conference games. UH started the year hot, winning four of their first five games—including wins over CS Northridge, Oregon State, and a double overtime thriller over Mississippi. Takahara-Dias has also brought with her an emphasis on community service and an ‘ohana atmosphere to the team. This past spring the team was awarded the ‘Ahahui Koa ‘Anuenue Community Service Award for their efforts to making a better Hawai'i.
Takahara-Dias has accumulated a 21-39 record in her first two seasons at Hawai‘i and has led the ‘Bows to the WAC tournament in both years. Although the Rainbow Wahine lost five seniors at the end of 2011—most notably career record setters Keisha Kanekoa and Megan Tinnin—Takahara-Dias and her staff have recruited a strong incoming group of newcomers who should make an immediate impact for the program and make some noise in the upcoming 2011-12 season.
Takahara-Dias, a four-year UH letterwinner from 1984-88, is the program’s seventh head coach since becoming a varsity sport in 1974 and first woman head coach in the program since Patsy Dung (1974-79). She is also the first former Rainbow Wahine basketball player to return as the head coach of her alma mater.
As a walk-on point guard for UH, Takahara-Dias later earned a scholarship and played in 80 career games. She posted career averages of 2.2 points, 1.2 rebounds, and 1.2 assists per game. Takahara-Dias started 17 games at point guard as a junior and served as team captain during her senior season. She joined the Rainbow Wahine from University Lab School in Honolulu, where she was a multi-sport athlete lettering in basketball, volleyball, softball and tennis.
Before her most recent tenure at UH, Takahara-Dias worked for four years with the City & County of Honolulu, as its Director of Customer Services, where she oversaw a $22.3 million budget and supervised nearly 300 full-time employees. Previously, she assumed the role of deputy director with the City’s Department of Enterprise Services and Department of Parks and Recreation.
Takahara-Dias has served as head coach of the Team Aloha All-Star High School Girls basketball team since 2006. Her 2006 team won the prestigious Nike Storm and Swish Fall Shootout in Santa Barbara, Calif., and her 2007 squad captured the consolation championship of the Arizona Elite Spring Classic in Phoenix. She has also served as the Director of Sports and Events Chair for Honolulu Mayor Mufi Hannemann’s Girls Basketball Jamboree for the past eight years.
Takahara-Dias assisted former UH women’s basketball head coach Vince Goo from 1995-99 as the Rainbow Wahine’s administrative assistant. In that capacity, she coordinated the Rainbow Wahine Summer Camp, directed the community service program, pioneered the Rainbow Wahine Junior Fan Club, and promoted fundraising efforts and gift in-kind donations.
Previously, she coached the Moanalua High School girls’ varsity basketball team for six years with five state championship appearances and two O‘ahu Interscholastic Association titles. In 1992, her squad finished runner-up at the state tournament, while her 1993 and ’94 teams placed third at states. Her teams went undefeated in league record for four straight years. She also served as assistant junior varsity coach for three years while also teaching special education at the school.
Following her coaching career at Moanalua, she served as the school’s assistant athletics director for two years before taking over A.D. duties in 2001. As athletics director, she oversaw 52 teams and more than 700 student-athletes and served in that capacity for four years before moving to the City & County of Honolulu.
Takahara-Dias earned her bachelor’s degree in elementary education from UH in 1988 and her master’s in teaching in 1992. She is currently the Hawai‘i Okinawan Association Sports Coordinator and also served on the National Federation of State High School Association and Athletic Administrator & Coaches Association. She is currently a member of the Hawai‘i Recreation & Parks Association, the State of Hawai‘i’s Advisory Commission for the Gender Equity in Sports, and UH Letterwinners Club.
Takahara-Dias resides in Honolulu with her sons, Hunter (10) and Logan (7).
