Assistant
Coach • Brandyn Akana
Former
Seasider player Brandyn Akana joined the BYU-Hawaii coaching staff in 2001 as
an assistant basketball coach. Akana, who grew up on Molokai, has become an integral
part of the Seasider program with major responsibilities that range from recruiting
to scheduling.
Akana had an outstanding career as a player
for BYU-Hawaii as a freshman during the 1992-93 season and, after a two-year mission
for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, from 1995-98. He averaged
16.3 points per game his senior year, was named an NAIA Honorable Mention All-American
and helped lead the team to the NAIA national tournament. He ended his career
in the school's top ten in nine different statistical categories, including the
number two spot in career free throw percentage at 84.4 percent.
Coach
Akana received his bachelor's degree from BYU-Hawaii in 1999 and his master's
from the University of Hawaii in 2001. He taught physical education at Assets
High School in Honolulu for two years and teaches classes in the exercise and
sport science program at BYU-Hawaii..
Akana
served as a student assistant at BYU-Hawaii for one year following his playing
days and has coached at numerous basketball camps over the last several years,
including the Pre-NBA Draft Camp in Los Angeles, Pete Newell's Big Man Camp and
a camp for Special Olympics coaches. He also spent time in Dallas helping train
the Chinese National Team.
Regarding his position, Akana says,
"I'm very comfortable here at BYU-Hawaii and having played here and graduated
from here I think I relate well to the players because I know what they are going
through."
Akana is married to former University of Hawaii
volleyball player Joselyn Robins and they have two daughters, Braelyn and Keonilei,
and a son, Tausili. He currently serves as a Bishop in one of the BYU-Hawaii student
wards of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Contact
Coach Akana
