Longtime Kamehameha Schools girls soccer coach Michele Nagamine was introduced as head coach for the University of Hawai'i women's program Wednesday morning.

Nagamine -- a former standout at Kamehameha and Santa Clara University -- takes over for Pinsoom Tinzeng, the UH program's founder and only head coach since the inaugural 1994 season.

Nagamine guided Kamehameha to five state championships (in 1995, 1996, 2006, 2007 and 2008). She also took over as Hawai'i Pacific University's women's head coach in 2008 and was named PacWest Conference Coach of the Year in 2009.

At Santa Clara, Nagamine was named the team's Most Inspirational Player in 1987 and 1988 and was team captain on the Broncos' first NCAA Tournament qualifier in 1989, helping them reach the final four.

Nagamine also has spent the past nine years as technical director for Leahi Soccer Club, one of the state's most prominent developmental programs.

---