Volleyball | 7/12/2012 3:50:00 PM

MONMOUTH, Ore. - Malia Shoji will join the Western Oregon volleyball coaching staff in 2012 as a graduate assistant coach, WOU head coach Brad Saindon announced Wednesday, June 27.

Shoji comes to the Wolves after establishing herself within Salem's volleyball community. She was an assistant coach with Willamette University last year and helped establish the Capital City Elite Volleyball Club where she served as the Director of Business Operations.  Shoji's coaching experience also spanned six years in California where she served as the head coach with the Saddleback Valley and La Jolla Torreys volleyball clubs.

"I am really pleased I was able to hire such an outstanding candidate for my assistant coach," said Saindon. "I've known her father for many years and the Shoji name is a well known volleyball family. Malia is the perfect person at the perfect time for this position."

Malia was equally excited to come to join the Western Oregon program.

"I am looking forward to being part of a program which has lots of opportunities in this and future seasons," said Shoji. "The women on this team will continue to build on all their hard work while they pursue a championship and I can't wait to be a part of it.

"I am also excited by the opportunity to work with Brad Saindon and also getting a degree that I can apply to coaching," said Shoji. "I have a great respect for Saindon's volleyball knowledge and I look forward to learning from him."

Shoji earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications from the University of California-San Diego in 2009. She also attended Irvine Valley College, where she played volleyball and tennis while earning an Associate's Degree in Business Administration.