The ETSU women’s volleyball team has a lot of leaders on it, and senior defensive standout Kaena Apana is certainly one of them.
Apana hails from Waianae Hawaii, and is a graduate of Nanakuli High School. I caught up with Apana this afternoon and she was willing to answer a few questions.
She told me that being a student-athlete allowed her to travel to places that she would normally never get to see.
She talked a lot of her love of traveling and said that was a prime motivation in her seeking out a master’s degree in sports management after her career at ETSU comes to a close.
Apana claims that one of the best things about being a student athlete is learning time management.
Apana was a versatile athlete in high school, in addition to volleyball she starred on the basketball, track, and canoe teams.
Talking to Apana is a lesson in Hawaiian culture, the tattoos she has all have significant reminders of home for her. On her thigh she has a tattoo of a sea turtle which she told me was her family’s protector.
Some of her favorite things about ETSU are the easy access to the mountains, the nice people (which reminds her of home), and snow (something rarely seen in Hawaii).
I asked if there was anything she disliked about ETSU. She told me that she missed surfing a whole lot and that the summer was tough without any air conditioning in Brooks Gym.
Apana’s favorite sports to watch are football and hockey. She told me that her least favorite sport to watch is golf. I agreed. However, we both talked about our respect for Tiger Woods.
You can see Apana in action on Oct. 16 against Liberty University at 6 p.m.

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