Maryknoll’s Jada Souza signs with Rainbow Wahine beach volleyball

WAIKIKI — From Maryknoll to Manoa, Jada Souza is ready to represent Hawai’i as a member of the BeachBows.

The Maryknoll senior was among over 40 student-athletes that put pen to paper at a signing day event at the Sheraton Waikiki Beach Resort Wednesday morning.

“It means so much to represent Hawai’i and where I’m from,” said Souza. “I’m also Hawaiian and I have Hawaiian blood in me and I want to show other people that Hawaiians can play beach volleyball. It originated here and not a lot of Hawaiians play and I want to represent.”

Click here for full list of signees and universities that they will be attending.

Although the Rainbow Wahine beach volleyball program selected a new head coach of the team this past summer, that did not deter Souza from sticking with her verbal commitment to play for the University of Hawai’i that she made in July 2024.

In fact, the selection of Danny Alvarez as the new head coach of the BeachBows only affirmed her decision as Souza played for Alvarez while competing for the Outrigger Canoe Club.

“He’s been my coach for probably five years and when I first hear that he was signing to be the next head coach at UH I was super stoked,” Souza said. “That was one of my decisions to stay at Hawai’i.”

Souza played indoor volleyball with the Spartans in her freshman and sophomore years — helping Maryknoll to a third-place finish in the 2022 state tournament — before transitioning to the sand later on in her prep career.

“It’s more short-person friendly,” said Souza, who is listed at 5-foot-7. “Also getting to play with only two people on a court is a lot more fun and a lot more movement.”

During her time playing for Outrigger Canoe Club, Souza achieved more than a dozen podium finishes. She also earned top honors in the in the 2024 February GNVB College Showcase, the AAU U16 Super Regional Junior Olympics Qualifier, the AVP U16 Jr. Nationals Qualifier, and the  U16 Kauai Bikini Tournament.

“To have one of the best players in the country in our own backyard decide to stay home and be a BeachBow is extremely impactful for our program and our state,” Alvarez said in a signing day press release. “We couldn’t be happier to have Jada join our team.”