HONOLULU – According to a press release, former University of Hawai‘i women’s basketball player and assistant Dana Takahara-Dias has been selected as the school’s new head women’s basketball coach, athletics director Jim Donovan announced Thursday at a press conference in
HONOLULU – According to a press release, former University of Hawai‘i women’s basketball player and assistant Dana Takahara-Dias has been selected as the school’s new head women’s basketball coach, athletics director Jim Donovan announced Thursday at a press conference in the Ed Wong Hospitality Room.
Takahara-Dias, a four-year UH letterwinner from 1984-88, is the program’s seventh head coach since becoming a varsity sport in 1974 and first woman head coach since Patsy Dung (1974-79).
“It is with great pleasure that I announce former Rainbow Wahine Dana Takahara-Dias as our new women’s basketball coach,” Donovan said. “She is a Rainbow Wahine at heart. She began as a walk-on in 1984, earned a scholarship, graduated from UH, and came back as an administrative assistant on former coach Vince Goo’s staff. She later went on to a successful high school coaching career at Moanalua and with Team Aloha and has honed her leadership skills with the City & County of Honolulu. She’s come back to the UH ‘ohana and will be a true role model for the young women of Hawai‘i.”
“I’m honored to return to the University of Hawai‘i where I received my degrees and played basketball here but more importantly to give back and contribute to the community,” Takahara-Dias said. “I’m excited about this wonderful opportunity and I feel I’ve come full circle as a player, staff member, and finally as head coach. I’m ready to get started and begin this journey.”
As a walk-on point guard for UH, Takahara-Dias later earned a scholarship and played in 80 career games. She posted career averages of 2.2 points, 1.2 rebounds, and 1.2 assists per game. Takahara-Dias started 17 games at point guard as a junior and served as team captain during her senior season. She joined the Rainbow Wahine from University Lab School in Honolulu, where she was a multi-sport athlete lettering in basketball, volleyball, softball and tennis.
For the past four years, Takahara-Dias has been working with the City and County of Honolulu, most recently as its Director of Customer Services. Previously, she assumed the role of deputy director with the City’s Department of Enterprise Services and Department of Parks and Recreation.
“My administration’s loss will be the University of Hawai‘i’s gain,” said Mufi Hannemann, Honolulu mayor. “I’m very confident that Dana Takahara-Dias will restore a winning tradition and produce scholar-athletes who’ll be winners both on and off the basketball court. She goes with my full support and blessing.”
Takahara-Dias has served as head coach of the Team Aloha All-Star High School Girls basketball team since 2006. Her 2006 team won the prestigious Nike Storm and Swish Fall Shootout in Santa Barbara, Calif., and her 2007 squad captured the consolation championship of the Arizona Elite Spring Classic in Phoenix. She has also served as the Director of Sports and Events Chair for Mufi Hannemann’s Girls Basketball Jamboree for the past eight years.
Takahara-Dias assisted former UH women’s basketball head coach Vince Goo from 1995-99 as the Rainbow Wahine’s administrative assistant. In that capacity, she coordinated the Rainbow Wahine Summer Camp, directed the community service program, pioneered the Rainbow Wahine Junior Fan Club, and promoted fundraising efforts and gift in-kind donations.
Previously, she coached the Moanalua High School girls’ varsity basketball team for six years with five state championship appearances and two O‘ahu Interscholastic Association titles. In 1992, her squad finished runner-up at the state tournament, while her 1993 and ’94 teams placed third at states. Her teams went undefeated in league record for four straight years. She also served as assistant junior varsity coach for three years while also teaching special education at the school.
Following her coaching career at Moanalua, she served as the school’s assistant athletics director for two years before taking over A.D. duties in 2001. As athletics director, she oversaw 52 teams and more than 700 student-athletes and served in that capacity for four years before moving to the City & County of Honolulu.
Takahara-Dias earned her bachelor’s degree in elementary education from UH in 1988 and her master’s in teaching in 1992. She is currently the Hawai‘i Okinawan Association Sports Coordinator and also served on the National Federation of State High School Association and Athletic Administrator & Coaches Association. She is currently a member of the Hawai‘i Recreation & Parks Association, the State of Hawai‘i’s Advisory Commission for the Gender Equity in Sports, and UH Letterwinners Club.
Takahara-Dias resides in Honolulu with her sons, Hunter (8) and Logan (5).
