UNLV Prospect Volleyball Camp

Malia Shoji was named the eighth head coach in UNLV volleyball history on January 4, 2023.

Shoji comes to Las Vegas after having spent the last eight seasons overall with the Utah volleyball program and the last five as its associate head coach. She helped the Utes qualify for six-straight NCAA Tournament appearances, including two Sweet 16’s and three consecutive third-place finishes in the Pac-12 Conference.

While at Utah, Shoji was instrumental in the program reaching its highest-ever AVCA national ranking (7th) during the 2020 season. She coached Utah’s only two First Team All-Americans in 2017, 2019, 2020 and 2021, and she played a crucial role in standout Dani Drews earning the program’s first-ever Pac-12 Player of the Year selection and first-ever Ute to be named the Pacific South Region Player of the Year two years in a row.

In addition to her success with the Utes, Shoji has had several international opportunities including her time as high performance assistant coach for the USA Volleyball Women’s Junior A1 Team in 2019. Following her first season with Utah, Shoji was named an assistant coach for the Pac-12 Volleyball All-Star Team that toured China in the summer of 2016.

Prior to her time at Utah, Shoji served as an assistant coach at Western Oregon and was an assistant coach with Willamette University in 2011 where she helped establish the Capital City Elite Volleyball Club and served as the Director of Business Operations.

Shoji, who played collegiately at Irvine Valley College from 2005-07, comes from a family that is embedded in the volleyball community. Shoji’s dad, Tom, has been a volleyball coach at the NCAA level for more than 30 years. Her uncle, Dave, has been the head coach at Hawai’i for 40 years and during that time, has accumulated 1,150 victories which ranks second all-time in career wins. Shoji’s cousins, Kawika and Erik, have both played professionally. Kawika just retired after a long career and played in two Olympics as a member of the USA Men’s National Team, while Erik is still playing professionally for Zaksa in Poland and is a current member of Team USA.

Shoji earned her bachelor’s degree in communications from UC San Diego in 2009 and her master’s in education, information technology from Western Oregon in 2017. While attending IVC, she earned an associate’s degree in business administration.

Shoji and her husband Benjamin Kaufman have a daughter, Camryn (2 years old), and a son, Dalen (10 months old).

What They Are Saying...
"Malia is well prepared for this move and will do great things at UNLV! She is a coach that cares about her student-athletes while challenging them to be their best. She is an excellent on court coach, has a great grasp on scouting opponents and is a tireless recruiter with a strong work ethic. Malia has had a huge impact on the Utah Volleyball program over the past eight years. She will be missed but I couldn't be more happy for her and this opportunity to lead the Rebel Volleyball program."
- Beth Launiere, Utah Head Coach

"I am ecstatic for my cousin Malia as she becomes the Head Coach of UNLV Volleyball! Her passion for volleyball, her work ethic, and her ability to balance work and life is inspiring and I cannot wait for her to start this journey as a head coach. I am so proud of her and I will be cheering every step of the way. UNLV hired a good one."
- Erik Shoji, two-time Olympian and current Team USA Volleyball member

“I had the pleasure of playing for Malia for five seasons and she showed dedication, hard work, and love for her players day in and day out. Malia took the time to get to know each of us both on and off the court, supporting us as players and even more importantly, as people. I am so happy for her and excited to see what the future holds for her as a head coach. I know big things are in store!"
- Dani Drews, Four-Time All-American at Utah and the school's most decorated volleyball student-athlete

Jones joins the Rebels after spending the last five years as the head women's volleyball coach for the Montana State Bobcats, part of the Big Sky conference. During his time there he saw 14 All-Conference Selections, 18 Academic All-Conference Team Selections and had a 2019 Libero of the Year, as well as a 2021 Freshman of the Year.

Prior to becoming the head coach of MSU, Daniel worked as an assistant coach for the Bobcats from 2015-2016 and saw 10 Academic All-Conference Team Selections.

Before Montana State, Jones spent the 2014 season with Utah Valley and led four players to be named All-Conference, as well as six players selected to the Academic All-Conference Team. He also worked as a video analyst and director of operations for Utah from 2010-2013, where he helped the Utes earn one All American, six All-Conference Players, two All-Conference Freshman Team Selections, a 2013 NCAA Tournament Second Round visit and 19 Academic All-Conference Team Selections.

Daniel began his coaching career 21 years ago at Avondale College in New Zealand where he served as an assistant coach from 2003-2004, helping his team to a 2003 National Championship title and a 2004 National Championships runner-up spot. Jones served as the head coach during the 2005 season and led his team to a third place finish at the Junior National Championships.

In 2002, Jones graduated from the University of Canterbury (Christchurch, New Zealand) with a bachelor's degree in education, specializing in physical education. He is married to the former Lacee Koelliker, the Las Vegas native who served seven seasons as an assistant coach at Utah Valley, following a successful four-year stint as a player with the Wolverines. The couple has four children - Adalee, Kaden, Marra and Quinnlee.

Reinert joins the Rebels after spending the 2022 season as the volunteer assistant coach for Stanford's women's volleyball program. During her time with the Cardinals, she guided the team to an appearance in the NCAA Regional Finals, the program's highest finish since 2019.

Prior to her stint at Stanford, Reinert was a standout libero/defensive specialist during her time playing indoor and beach volleyball at Santa Clara (2017-21), and indoor volleyball at BYU (2021). She racked up 871 career digs indoors and was a three-time WCC All-Academic honorable mention selection in both indoor and beach volleyball for the Broncos.

Reinert graduated from Santa Clara with a bachelor's degree in Communications and a minor in Retail Studies in 2021. She expects to earn her master's degree in Coaching and Athletic Administration from Concordia Irvine in the spring of 2023.

A native of Dove Canyon, California, Gretchen is the daughter of Jeff Reinert, the head basketball coach at the College of Southern Idaho.

Elaini Kollias enters her eighth season with the UNLV Volleyball program after serving as an assistant coach from 2004-2010, moving back to California for a brief stint from 2010-2017, and now entering her second season as the Director of Operations for UNLV volleyball.

Kollias started at UNLV beginning in 2004 as the assistant coach/recruiting coordinator until leaving the program in 2010. From 2004-2010, she helped coach the team to no less than 15 wins in each of her years in Las Vegas. She helped then-head coach Allison Keeley to a mark of 90-57. Included in those 90 victories are two back to back seasons of at least 20 victories with a school record 24 amassed in 2007. When Kollias returned in February 2021, she resumed her previous role as assistant coach/recruiting coordinator before changing roles to the Director of Operations in August of 2022.

After leaving UNLV in 2010, Kollias moved back to California and coached at Saddleback Valley Volleyball Club where she worked previously from 1993 - 2001, then again 2010-2017. Kollias also coached at Orange Coast Volleyball Club where she worked from 2011-2017, then returning to Las Vegas in 2017 where she coached the boys and girls at Vegas United Volleyball club, which she still currently does.

Upon returning to UNLV in February 2021, she saw the team to a Spring 2021 Mountain West Conference Championship title and a trip to the NCAA Tournament, before securing the first ever national championship title in program history the following season (Fall 2021) where the Rebels were crowned the 2021 National Invitational Volleyball Champions. Kollias also saw the team to a 2022 Mountain West Regular-Season title and the fourth ever NCAA Tournament trip in program history.

Prior to UNLV, she spent three years as a graduate assistant and assistant coach with West Virginia’s Volleyball team. During her time in Morgantown she was responsible for on-court coaching as well as actively recruiting the West Coast.

Kollias started her playing career at Saddleback Junior College (Mission Viejo, CA) where she was named team MVP twice and was a two time all conference member. She was later inducted into the Saddleback Hall of Fame. She then went on to play for Concordia University in Irvine, Calif., and set a school record for most kills in a match with 34. Kollias holds the career record for kills and is third in all-time assists for the Eagles.

In 2002 she was a member of an American contingent that won the gold medal at the Scottish National Championships. The team was coached by George Mason University’s Pat Kendrick.

Kollias is from Dana Point, Calif., and graduated from Concordia University in 1996 with a B.A. in elementary education. She earned her master’s degree in athletic coaching education in 2002 from West Virginia University.