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Honolulu, HI – August 21, 2006 – Kaia A. Hedlund, president of Kaico Sports and associate director for the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation, has been selected as the new athletics director at Chaminade University of Honolulu, school officials announced today.
Hedlund, who earned her master’s degree in physical education and sports management from California State University, Fullerton in 1986, and her bachelor’s degree in physical education and recreation from University of Southern California, officially begins her position on Aug. 21.
“We’re delighted that Kaia has agreed to be our next athletics director, and we are looking forward to working with her. Her past experience with the Hawaii athletics community, as well as her involvement with the NCAA and several major athletics conferences throughout the country, have made Kaia a very important asset to Chaminade,” said Grissel Benitez-Hodge, Dean of Students.
Coaching, teaching, administrative background
Hedlund has served as executive director for the Long Beach Aquatics Festival and as director of special projects for the Big West Conference. From 1990 to 2000, she served as assistant director of athletics for the University of Hawaii at Manoa and from 1983 to 1990, as associate director of athletics and senior woman administrator at University of California, Irvine.
Hedlund also served as head coach for women’s swimming at the University of California, Irvine and assistant coach for women’s swimming at USC. She has more than 20 years of experience teaching primarily at the college level. Hedlund swam four years for USC, played water polo, paddled outrigger canoes and continues to swim at the master’s level. She is also director for “Swim with Mike – Hawaii – Raising Funds for the Physically Challenged Athletes Scholarship Fund.”
Hedlund is married to Gary Wible and has been living in Long Beach, Calif., since leaving Hawaii in 2000. She and her husband are looking forward to making Hawaii their home base once again.
Pacific West Athletics Conference realignment
Chaminade University is a member of the NCAA Pacific West Athletics Conference. Other affiliates include Brigham Young University – Hawaii, Hawaii Pacific University and University of Hawaii – Hilo. In April, the NCAA approved the addition of Grand Canyon University (Phoenix) and Notre Dame de Namur University (Belmont, Calif.) to the conference, which allows the PacWest to function as a full-status conference again.
In light of the changes, Chaminade had to realign its intercollegiate sports program. This fall the University will begin new women’s basketball and women’s and men’s soccer programs. To accommodate the new sports, Chaminade eliminated its men’s water polo and tennis and women’s golf programs. Silversword sports being offered this year are women’s basketball, cross country, soccer, softball, tennis and volleyball, and men’s basketball, cross-country, golf and soccer.
“With the PacWest realignment, there will be more opportunities for students to participate in athletics within a wider array of sports,” said Hedlund. “This is an exciting time to be a part of the Chaminade athletics program.”
Matt Mahar praised
Both Benitez-Hodge and Hedlund praised Matt Mahar for his management of Chaminade’s athletics program. Mahar, who served as interim and head men’s basketball coach, will now concentrate on his coaching responsibilities.
“Matt and his staff worked tirelessly and displayed great leadership,” said Benitez-Hodge. “We are proud of his and his staff’s efforts.”
Chaminade’s men’s basketball team clinched the PacWest title and went on to beat University of Alaska, Anchorage in its NCAA Division II Tournament debut. Mahar was named conference Coach of the Year. In his first season, Mahar led the Silverswords to a conference title and into the second round of the Division II NCAA tournament.
The mission of the Chaminade University Intercollegiate Athletics Department is to provide an opportunity for all qualified students to participate in competitive sports while developing leadership and team skills.
Celebrating more than 50 years of educating students for life, service and successful careers, Chaminade University offers programs of study grounded in the liberal arts with day, evening, online and accelerated courses. The main campus is located in Kaimuki at 3140 Waialae Ave., Honolulu, HI 96816, with 10 satellite locations around Oahu military bases and Catholic parishes and schools. For more information, visit www.chaminade.edu or call (808) 735-4711.
