There are high school stars and there are college recruits.

Kaiser golfer Malia Nam is now both. The senior signed her letter of intent to play for USC next season during the Education-1st Hawaii signing-day ceremony early Wednesday morning at the Honolulu Elks Lodge in Waikiki.

“I like the big campus and the diversity. I like the weather there, also,” she said. “I want to experience the big campus and the big life outside of campus. The school has so much resources, and I’ll be surrounded by so much talent. Being able to go to L.A. on the weekend.”

Nam earned her way, to be sure. Her resume includes winning the Oahu Interscholastic Association championship as a sophomore and again as a junior.

“There’s always huge expectations of winning states and tournaments, but this year, I’m going to try to have fun and, hopefully, win states,” she said.

Nam was one of 40 seniors who signed their letters. Another was senior volleyball player Amalia Paige Hilliard of Punahou, who signed with Louisiana State. Hilliard practically grew up watching student-athletes sign letters of intent. Her mother, Amalia Hilliard, has been a longtime volunteer host with PIAA, and now Education-1st Hawaii. Hilliard was usually one of the helpers at the entrance, checking signees in.

“It is very trippy. I still feel like I should be a 12-year-old in the corner stuffing my face with pastries,” said Hilliard, an outside hitter who received a full-ride scholarship.

LSU is planning to use her as a full-time player.

“They want me to be a six-rotation outside. I would hit in the front row and rotate to the back row and play there,” she said. “My coach says, ‘Offense sells tickets and defense wins the game. Get your back row 100 percent and that’s all we need from you.’ She wants me to focus on passing, defense, passing, defense. She trusts my offense.”

The signees included baseball and softball players, golfers and mostly volleyball players. ‘Iolani senior outside hitter/middle Cole Hogland signed with the Hawaii men’s program. Kahuku outside hitter/setter senior ShaLi Niu inked her letter with George Mason. Hilliard is the latest island prepster to head to SEC country.

“I feel great. I feel like I just signed away the next four years,” said Hilliard, who also plays for RVCH Volleyball Club. “What matters most is the community you’re going to. The experience I had visiting LSU the last two times, I love the community and how tight-knit the girls are. It reminded me of Hawaii. I wanted to experience something drastically different, but at the end of the day I know all my free time, every holiday and break I want to spend on this beautiful island.”

With college and high school tuition rates increasing at an unprecedented rate, standards remain very high, more so for players battling for financial aid, partial scholarships and preferred walk-on status. Very few full scholarships are awarded to first-year student-athletes, and most of those are in football.

“There’s a difference between your dream school and a school that will help you get your dreams,” said Jenny Elmore, a longtime volunteer. “Very rarely do they intersect. Your degree doesn’t have a division on it. Even with a 3.5 grade-point average, coaches want student-athletes to improve it. If you’re a 3.0, you’d better be great.”