[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 46 (Monday, April 5, 2004)]
[Senate]
[Page S3630]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII ATHLETES KIM WILLOUGHBY AND MICHAEL KUEBLER

 Mr. AKAKA. Mr. President, I rise to congratulate two 
University of Hawaii (UH) student athletes, Kim Willoughby and Michael 
Kuebler, for their outstanding athletic achievements. Kim is an outside 
hitter for the UH Wahine Rainbow volleyball team and Michael is a guard 
for the UH Men's basketball team. Both athletes are seniors and have 
had highly decorated and successful careers while participating in the 
UH athletic program.
  Fans are quick to recognize Kim's presence on the court as she is 
best known for her powerful and precise play. During her first season 
with the Wahine Rainbows, Kim earned the title of Western Athletic 
Conference, WAC, cofreshman averaging 3.14 kills and 3.02 digs per 
game. As a sophomore, Kim earned WAC player of the year, All-West 
region team, American Volleyball Coaches Association, AVCA, and 
Volleyball Magazine All-American first team honors. That season Kim 
surpassed conference and school records as she led the Nation with 850 
kills and 7.20 kills per game. Kim captured the AVCA player of the week 
title twice and the WAC player of the week four times that same year. 
In her junior year, Kim earned the WAC player of the year honor for a 
second time. In her last 2 years on the squad, Kim ranked second in the 
Nation in kills per game and was again awarded the AVCA All-American 
first team titles. In 2003, Kim acquired AVCA's National player of the 
year as well as was named to the College Sports Television All-American 
team. Kim set the Wahine Rainbow record with 2,598 career kills, the 
sixth highest in the history of NCAA Division I women's volleyball.
  As a transfer student from Clackamas Community College in Oregon, 
Michael joined the Rainbow Warriors and started the final 28 games of 
the 2002-2003 season. Michael's impressive play earned him Academic 
All-WAC newcomer team and All-Junior and Community College transfer 
team honors. During his senior season, Michael was voted to the All-WAC 
first team and earlier in the year tied the team's record for 
consecutive games with at least one three pointer. Michael not only led 
the team in scoring, but he also led the conference with 91 three 
pointers. This past March, the Rainbow Warriors concluded their season 
with a 21-to-12 record and finished one game short of the National 
Invitation Tournament, NIT, ``final four.'' During that last NIT match 
against Michigan, Michael scored a team high of 19 points, earned a 
career high of 8 assists, and increased his UH single season 3-point 
record to 97. I am also impressed with his priorities of balancing an 
athletic career while also building a strong academic foundation. 
Michael's off court accomplishments include holding a 3.67 grade point 
average as a business marketing major and being the first Rainbow 
Warrior to make the College Sports Information Director's Association 
Academic All-American first team.
  The sports fans of Hawaii and I have enjoyed watching Kim Willoughby 
and Michael Kuebler compete and develop as athletes. I thank them both 
for their contributions to their respective sports and continuing the 
tradition of excellence long withstanding at the University of Hawaii 
at Manoa. As both of them bid the UH campus farewell this season, I 
wish the both of them the best in their future endeavors.

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