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Menlo College

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kaniela_aiona

Kaniela Aiona

  • Title
    Head Coach
  • Alma Mater
    Webster University

Kaniela.Aiona@menlo.edu I 650-543-3777 

Kaniela Aiona enters his sixth year as Menlo College Men's Basketball Head Coach in 2020-21. In five season, Aiona has amassed a record of 72-71, and is coming off of one of the best seasons in program history, in which the Oaks finished in 2nd place in the Golden State Athletic Conference and earned a trip to the NAIA Division 1 National Tournament.  Aiona's accomplishments include:

  • Led Program to First 20 Win Season in 27 years 
  • Program’s First National Ranking, #21 in NAIA Division 1
  • Highest National Ranking In Program History, #16 in NAIA Division 1
  • First NAIA Division 1 National Tournament Bid in School History
  • Earned First National Tournament Bid since 2008
  • 14 Victories over Top 25 Opponents (since 2015-16)
  • Best Win in Program History vs #2 Nationally Ranked The Master’s University
  • Top 10 Team Ranking in 8 Statistical Categories, 2019-2020
  • #1 Ranking in 3pt% (NAIA Division 1) 2019-20 
  • #5 Ranking in 3pt% (All Divisions – NCAA I, II, III and NAIA), 2019-2020

  • 3.0+ Team GPA – Every Semester Since 2015

  • Led NAIA Division 1 with 10 MBB Scholar Athletes Since 2017 (JR/SRs with 3.5+ Cumulative GPA)

  • Led GSAC with 16 MBB Scholar Athletes since 2016 (SO/JR/SRs with 3.5+ Cumulative GPA) 

  • 5 Players on NABC Honors Court, 2018-2019 -  Achieved by Only 5 California Programs

  • NABC Team Academic Excellence Award 2019

  • 2 NAIA All-Americans - John Paine and Ross Williams

  • 3 All-GSAC Members - Charles Neal, John Paine, and Ross Williams

  • Recruited/Developed  Menlo’s All Team Leading Scorer – John Paine 2016-2020

  • Recruited/Developed Menlo’s 4th All Team Leading Scorer – Jeremiah Testa 2016-2020

Aiona led the Oaks to a wildly successful 2017-18 season that included:

  • A 20-11 record, the most wins since 1990
  • The team's first trip to the GSAC playoffs
  • The team's first GSAC playoff win
  • The first time in NAIA DI the Oaks have been "receiving votes" in the coaches poll
  • Four wins against teams inside the top-30 in the nation, including a win over #9 Hope International, at the time, the best win in program history
  • Sixth best three-point shooting percentage in the nation
  • Tenth best field-goal percentage in the nation

During his inaugural season at the helm of the program in 2015-16, the Oaks:

  • Tripled their win total and reached double-digits in the win column
  • Beat four teams that held a top-25 ranking including a marquee victory over the 10th ranked team in the nation, Arizona Christian, the first over a top-10 team in program history 
  • Ranked ninth in NAIA Div. I in total rebound defense (31.143), 17th in scoring defense per game (70.679), 24th in rebound margin (3.821), and 45th free throw percentage (70.2%).
  • The team's assist-to-turnover ratio in 2015-16 was the highest the program has seen in over ten years.

11 men have earned Daktronics-NAIA Scholar-Athlete and GSAC Scholar-Athlete honors while another was awarded the Cliff Hamlow Champion of Character Award, the first time a Menlo Men's Basketball player received the award. In 2019, the he coached the first All-GSAC player the Oaks have had. In addition, Menlo has 11 wins against ranked teams in the first four season under coach Aiona.

Aiona brings with him a wealth of knowledge as a coach, recruiter and professional scout. During his career, he has spent time at:

  • At Central Methodist University (Fayette, Mo.) as a graduate assistant from 2006-2008 and earned a master's degree in Education
  • At NCAA Div. III Lake Forest College as an assistant for two seasons
  • At NCAA Div. III Benedictine University (Lisle, Ill.) as an assistant for two seasons
  • At Saint Leo University as an assistant 

In addition to his collegiate coaching duties, Aiona has:

  • Worked as a Chicago regional scout for ClibHoops
  • Trained national team members from Italy, Latvia, Ukraine, Greece, China and Taiwan
  • Worked for Attack Athletics in 2011 where he trained six NBA Draftees.

Aiona earned his bachelor's degree from Webster University (Groves, Mo.) where he was a four-year letter winner and helped the team to a pair of conference championships and an NCAA National Tournament appearance as the team's captain. He was both all-conference and academic all-conference and graduated in the Top 10 in school history in points, rebounds, blocks and free throws made. 

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