Records would indicate that “Miki” was the first Punahou woman graduate to participate in the Olympic games since Mariechen Wehselau swam in the 1924 Olympics. An outstanding swimmer herself, Miki’s Olympic participation was actually as a member of the 1968 U.S. Volleyball team.This article appears as originally published in the Summer 1981 issue of the Punahou Bulletin.
At Punahou, Miki started her winning ways in her freshman year as a swimmer. Her specialties were the 50 and 100 yard freestyle events. A three-year member of the varsity squad she captained the championship team in her senior year. The other varsity sport in which she excelled was volleyball. Again, a three-year member of the varsity, she captained the volleyball team in her senior year. These athletic performances won her the accolade of Punahou Female Athlete of the Year for 1966.
During her freshman year at USC she was selected as a member of the U.S. Volleyball team which participated in the 1967 Japan World Games. On USC’s varsity basketball squad for three years she was acknowledged as one of the best players in the country. In rapid succession, she was selected to the Pan Am Games, the World Games team and finally the 1968 U.S. Olympic team.
Miki married former Punahou teacher, Dan McFadden, and with two small children, had to curtail volleyball for a period. Resuming play as a member of a doubles team which went undefeated for three years (1976 – 1978), she was named to the Sports Women’s Hall of Fame. She still plays regularly in the National Volleyball Championships and is currently playing in the Hawaii semi-pro volleyball league.