JENNIFER CAREY

Steve Virgen

Hawaii is the place to be for Jennifer Carey.

The former Newport Harbor High girls volleyball standout realized

that soon after graduating from the University of Hawaii. She found a

job with a television station there and will begin her career in

sports marketing.

She will be the marketing account executive for KNHL, the NBC

affiliate in Honolulu. The station broadcasts many University of

Hawaii sporting events, including all of the football games of her

former college. Carey is hoping to blossom in her career, just as she

did on the volleyball court as a setter.

Carey, who graduated from Newport Harbor in 1999, helped lead the

Sailors to a CIF state championship in her senior year. She said she

keeps in touch with a few players on that team, including April Ross.

Carey saw Ross, an All-American for USC, at a volleyball tournament

in Hawaii last month.

While at the University of Hawaii, Carey used her setting skills

to become an integral part of the Rainbow Wahine’s NCAA Final Four

berth last year. She earned All-Western Athletic Conference and

All-WAC Tournament team honors.

She said she was able to succeed in college because of the many

lessons she learned while at Newport Harbor.

“It’s definitely an honor to say that you made it through the

Newport Harbor volleyball program,” Carey said. “I got to play with

really great players. They were a fun group to play with. Dan Glenn

continues to turn out great teams every year. I’m glad I was part of

the team.

“What sticks out to me the most was the great time I had with my

teammates. We had a lot fun and we worked hard together. It’s more

the girls than the winning that I remember.”

After high school, Carey decided to move on to Hawaii because she

saw some similar qualities to Newport, including the picturesque

scenes near the beach, the great weather and the nice people.

“It’s paradise,” Carey said of Hawaii. “For everyone else, it’s

like going on vacation. I like the way of life over here. Growing up

in Newport, I was able to walk a few blocks and go put my feet in the

water. I love being able to do the same here. It was wasn’t hard to

want to stay here longer. I have a great opportunity here.”

Carey also said she has the best of both worlds because she will

be able to work in marketing and sports with the television station.

Carey, 23, is the latest honoree of the Daily Pilot Sports Hall of

Fame. Her parents live on Balboa Island and her younger sister,

Bryana, is a sophomore at Newport Harbor.