Danny Alvarez re-joined the University of Hawai'i beach volleyball program as an assistant coach in August 2022 after having built the program from the very start. Alvarez, who holds more than two decades of coaching experience, previously served as a volunteer assistant for the BeachBows from 2012-19.
As the only assistant to head coach Scott Wong in the inaugural 2012 season, Alvarez was instrumental in building the foundation for the fledgling Rainbow Wahine program. He helped numerous indoor players make the transition to sand, while further developing the experienced sand players. By the end of the season, two UH tandems qualified for the AVCA Collegiate Sand Volleyball National Championships in Gulf Shores, Ala.
Since that first season, he has coached nine AVCA All-Americans, 16 all-conference players, and has helped guide the Rainbow Wahine to a No. 1 ranking and six straight nataionals appearance, incluidng four NCAAs. He also helped mentor the pair of Karissa Cook and Brittany Tiegs, who went on the finish as national runner-up at the AVCA Pairs Championship.
In 2015, Alvarez gained much-earned recognition when he was named Coach of the Year at UH’s annual “H” Awards event.
Prior to originally coming to UH, Alvarez was already deeply rooted in the local volleyball scene. For 17 years he served as tournament director for various beach volleyball events including the Daddy Haine 4s and local versions of King of the Beach tournaments, as well as the Duke Kahanamoku State Beach Doubles Championships. For the last two decades he's also served as a trainer and coach AVP beach professionals.
Alvarez began his coaching career at his alma mater, University High School, where in a decade span he coached the boy’s basketball and boy’s and girl’s volleyball squads. Former Rainbow Wahine setter Margaret Vakasausau was a member of Alvarez’ 1998 girl’s volleyball squad. Alvarez also served as head coach of the Asics U18 club team in 2000 that included another former UH standout in Nohea Tano.
Alvarez is a 1993 graduate of Hawai‘i where he earned his bachelor’s degree in history. The Honolulu native continues to play beach volleyball and was a member of the University High School indoor squad that advanced to the state championship in 1988. He and his wife, Mahealani, live in Honolulu and have two children - Kaina and Kaiona.
