The American Volleyball Coaches Association is pleased to announce that Malia Shoji, the head women’s volleyball coach at UNLV, is joining its Diversity Development Team. Since its founding in 2016, the team has focused on engaging Black and ethnic minority coaches as leaders in the sport of volleyball while celebrating the contributions and rich history of people of color in the sport.

Shoji became the head coach at UNLV in 2023 and led the Rebels to a 19-13 record in her first season. She spent the prior eight years with the Utah volleyball program, helping the Utes make six-straight NCAA Tournament appearances.

Shoji, who played at Irvine Valley College, comes from a notable volleyball family. Her dad, Tom, has been a coach at the NCAA level for more than 30 years, and her uncle, Dave, was the Hawai‘i women’s coach for four decades. Her cousins, Erik and Kawika, have played volleyball professionally and been on the U.S. Men’s National Team; Erik earned a bronze medal in Paris this summer.

As part of the AVCA Diversity Development Team, Shoji will work on a number of initiatives with the team, which also includes Nickie Sanlin (chair), Marci Jenkins Byers, Maggie Johnson, Dr. Ramona Cox, Frank Craig III, Joshua Walker, and Lizzy Wexter.

For more information on the Diversity Team and its work, go to https://www.avca.org/about/committees/diversity-development.html.