What started as a personal goal for Cherie Kaneshiro Nabeta was accomplished with help from her sister. Not surprising for the Kaneshiro family, which was chosen the Hawai‘i Pacific Tennis Association Family of the Year in 1990.
Nabeta entered high school with a goal of winning four state tennis singles titles. As a freshman, Nabeta swept Hilo’s top female player, 6-3, 6-0, to win her first state championship. The following year, Nabeta defeated teammate Tracee Lee ’91, 6-4, 6-4, to win her second straight title. In her junior year, she lost in the semifinals and “was crushed.”
But years later, her sister, Shanelle Kaneshiro ’95 Yamamoto, won state singles titles in 1993 and 1995 for Punahou.
“I felt such a great sense of pride and accomplishment that together, my sister and I were able to hold four state singles titles between the two of us.” Nabeta said.
Nabeta, a Prince All-American, was the ILH singles champion for four years and the ILH Player of the Year in 1990. She played tennis at Brigham Young University where her team won the Western Athletic Conference women’s tennis championship in 1993. Nabeta also received Tennis Magazine’s Arthur Ashe Collegiate Award for Leadership and Sportsmanship in NCAA Division I.