Molina honored as Distinguished Female Athlete of the Year

Brien Ing | SL

The trophy case at Konawaena High School is quickly becoming a display of Chanelle Molina's personal exploits.

The senior-to-be is coming off one of the most decorated athletic school years in recent memory, having led the Wildcats to their second straight volleyball state championship in the fall and another state basketball crown in the winter.

Molina, who stands 5-9, was selected by the ScoringLive staff as this year's recipient of the Distinguished Female Athlete Award.

"I'm really honored to have all my hard work and everything that I worked so hard for finally recognized," Molina said. "Ever since my freshman year, all I wanted to do was win a state title and when I finally got that I felt accomplished. I have just one more year left, so I've just got to keep pushing and keep working for state titles and make my team better."

Molina was named Most Outstanding Player of the New City Nissan/Hawaii High School Athletic Association Division II Volleyball State Championships. In three state-tournament matches, she amassed 62 kills and 58 digs, including a 20-kill, 18-dig performance in a five-set win over Seabury Hall in the championship final.

In the winter, Molina was just as masterful, collecting All-Hawaii Division I Player of the Year honors after leading Konawaena to its first state title since 2012. She averaged 20.7 points, 7.7 rebounds and 4.0 assists in three state-tournament games, including a 27-point, eight-rebound performance in a 51-41 win over Lahainaluna in the championship final and was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player.

"Of course, I was happy when we won volleyball, but I haven't won a state basketball title and winning it with my sisters and all the Lahaina girls that transferred was amazing," said Molina, who also competed in the high jump and long jumps events in track and field in the spring.

Molina was a member of Team Aloha, which participated in several mainland basketball tournaments earlier this summer and will also travel with her club team, the Kona Stingrays, to tournaments in Oregon and Seattle in July.

She has had a long-standing scholarship offer from the University of Hawaii and has whittled her list of schools down to four schools: Washington State, Oregon, Oregon State and UH.

"My options are still open. I haven't committed to anyone yet," Molina said.

All of the accolades and recognition have only made Molina hungrier to improve her craft.

"It's just more motivation to keep proving to everyone that we still got it and I just don't want to end my career with those two state states, so I just keep pushing, keep working hard and don't settle for less," Molina said.

Molina beat out fellow finalists Sabrina Hollins (wrestling, judo, track and field), of Waipahu, and Mariel Galdiano (golf), of Punahou, for the award.