Alofa Tagataese, a key figure in four University of Hawai'i-Hilo national volleyball championships in three years and one of the school's most beloved athletes, died Friday on the Big Island, according to former coach Sharon Peterson.

Tagataese, 44, a middle blocker and UHH graduate, who went on to coach, had been battling stomach cancer, according to friends.

It was a sign of Tagataese's enduring place in the hearts of fans that her passing was remembered with a moment of silence prior to the Vulcans' match with Brigham Young University-Hawai'i.

"She had power and grace on the court," Peterson recalls. "She could power one down and then turn around and give the most deceptive tip. If she got blocked, she'd just smile and giggle — and then come back with more power. I don't ever remember her being tentative or afraid on the court," Peterson said. "She played the game the way it was meant to be played. She had a lot of depth to her and cared about people."

The soft-spoken, power-hitting Tagataese is best remembered for the 1983 national championship victory over St. Mary's of Moraga, Calif., in which she had 19 kills in 22 attempts.

Tagataese, a Kaimuki High graduate, was a two-time NAIA All-American (1982-'83) and three-time All-NAIA National Tournament selection. She was named to both the NAIA and UHH halls of fame.

Friends said funeral arrangements are pending.