Kathy Carey has been with the University of Hawai‘i Rainbow Wahine soccer program every step of the way. From the program’s humble beginnings as a club squad through its first 18 years as a Division I sport, Carey has been there. She is involved in all aspects of the program, both on and off the field, and her tireless work behind the scenes has been vital in UH soccer’s rise to prominence, including its first NCAA Tournament appearance in 2007.
Along the way, Carey has helped the Rainbow Wahine earn three Western Athletic Conference titles (2003, ’05, ’07), one WAC Tournament championship and an NCAA Tournament berth. In 2007, UH set more than 30 school records, including winning a record 15 games.
Raised in Hawai‘i, Carey began her soccer career in the 1970s at Punahou School. She attended Stanford University from 1975-80, where she lettered in soccer and racquetball. In 1980, Carey graduated with a bachelor’s degree in communications. She continued her education at Santa Clara and earned her master’s in business administration in 1982.
Carey’s association with the game of soccer has been a remarkable one, having assisted in the development of three soccer programs. As a prepster at Punahou, Carey played for the varsity boy’s team. The season after her graduation, a varsity girl’s squad was introduced to the school. At Stanford, Carey helped initiate the women’s soccer program after playing on the Cardinal men’s team. And now, Carey has again displayed a golden touch, helping to initiate and nurture the Rainbow Wahine program from its start as a club squad to its introduction as a Division I sport in 1994.
Carey is a member of the National Soccer Coaches Association of America and holds the United States Soccer Federation National “A” license. Carey became the first female in Hawai‘i, and one of a handful of women in the nation, to earn an “A” license. Before accepting the assistant coaching post at Hawai‘i, Carey coached part-time at Punahou School for 12 years. She has also coached with the Hawai‘i Olympic Development Program and the American Youth Soccer Organization.
Carey and her husband, David, have four children—Jessica, Connor, Maverick and Shannon. Carey continues to remain active playing the sport she loves on the club level.
