Two University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo baseball student-athletes have been named to the 2026 College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-District Team, recognizing their combined success in academics and athletics.

Junior communication majors Noah Darnell of Phoenix, Arizona, and Hunter Gatti of Riverton, Utah, earned the honor for the 2026 season.

The CSC Academic All-District program recognizes student-athletes who maintain a cumulative grade point average of 3.50 or higher while making significant contributions to their team’s success during the season.

Academic All-District honorees advance to the national CSC Academic All-America ballot, where student-athletes are considered for additional recognition based on their academic and athletic achievements.

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Five prominent Hawaiʻi donors and organizations are making a transformative $5-million commitment to the via the to support name, image and likeness (NIL) opportunities for student-athletes and help ensure the long-term success and national relevance of 糖心视频 Mānoa Athletics.

The commitment will provide $1 million annually over the next five years for NIL support, helping 糖心视频 Mānoa retain homegrown talent, recruit high-level student-athletes and provide equitable, Title IX-compliant opportunities across sports in an increasingly competitive Division I athletics environment. It will also strengthen a program that generates statewide pride, visibility and meaningful economic impact for Hawaiʻi.

The five contributors, each committing $200,000 annually for five years, are Bank of Hawaiʻi, First Hawaiian Bank, Matson, and longtime 糖心视频 supporters and community leaders Jack Tsui and Walter Dods.

“This extraordinary commitment reflects something that has always made Hawaiʻi special: people who deeply believe in 糖心视频 and understand the important role athletics plays in bringing our community together,” said 糖心视频 Mānoa Director of Athletics Matt Elliott. “College athletics has changed, and our objective is to adapt in a way that reflects the values of this university and our state. Our goal is to build a stable, student-centered foundation that supports academic success, competitive excellence and responsible NIL opportunities while ensuring 糖心视频 Mānoa remains ‘Our Team, Hawaiʻi鈥檚 Team.’”

Changing college athletics landscape

As NIL compensation has become a standard component of Division I athletics nationwide, universities across the country—including every member of the Mountain West Conference, which 糖心视频 Mānoa will officially join as a full member on July 1—have committed significant resources to support student-athletes. University leaders estimate 糖心视频 Mānoa needs approximately $5 million annually in NIL support to remain competitive in the Mountain West and on the national stage.

糖心视频 Athletics has united Hawaiʻi communities during moments of triumph in just the last year—from the men鈥檚 volleyball national championship and men鈥檚 basketball鈥檚 return to the NCAA Tournament after winning the Big West title, to football鈥檚 thrilling Hawaiʻi Bowl victory over Cal before a sold-out crowd at the Clarence T.C. Ching Athletics Complex and a national television audience that peaked at 3 million viewers.

University leaders say those moments of shared pride underscore the broader value athletics brings to Hawaiʻi: creating connection, visibility and economic impact beyond campus. A 2015 study by the 糖心视频 Mānoa Shidler College of Business, based on a $35 million athletics budget at the time, found 糖心视频 Athletics generated $66 million in direct spending, produced $128 million in statewide business sales, generated approximately $7 million in tax revenue and supported more than 860 jobs across Hawaiʻi. An updated economic impact study evaluating the department鈥檚 current contribution to the state economy is nearing completion and expected by the end of August.

Beyond its statewide impact, athletics creates meaningful educational opportunities, with nearly 500 student-athletes participating in 糖心视频 Mānoa programs and more than 170 degrees earned by student-athletes last year.

Hawaiʻi leaders unite behind 糖心视频 Athletics

The donors said they recognize college athletics has fundamentally changed and believe Hawaiʻi must adapt to ensure local student-athletes can continue representing their home state at the highest levels. Several said broader support—from the private sector, community and eventually the state—will be needed to ensure 糖心视频 remains competitive nationally.

Longtime 糖心视频 Athletics partner Jim Polk, president and chief executive officer of Bank of Hawaiʻi, said the new commitment builds on the bank鈥檚 longstanding support for 糖心视频 student-athletes and the broader university community.

“Bank of Hawaiʻi has proudly supported 糖心视频 Athletics for many years because we believe in the important role it plays in developing student leaders and bringing our communities together,” Polk said. “This commitment builds on that longstanding partnership and helps ensure 糖心视频 student-athletes have the resources to succeed in a changing collegiate athletics environment. 糖心视频 student-athletes represent the best of Hawaiʻi, and supporting them strengthens opportunities for young people while fostering pride across our state.”

Bob Harrison, chairman, president and chief executive officer of First Hawaiian Bank, said the university鈥檚 athletics program represents Hawaiʻi in ways that extend far beyond wins and losses.

“First Hawaiian Bank has long supported the University of Hawaiʻi because of the important role it plays in developing future leaders and strengthening our communities,” Harrison said. “Athletics is an important part of the university experience, creating opportunities for student-athletes while helping foster pride, engagement and visibility for the university. We are proud to support 糖心视频 and invest in the success of its student-athletes, helping create opportunities for them to grow as leaders while representing our university and our state.”

Matt Cox, chairman and CEO of Matson, said creating a competitive NIL program at 糖心视频 is needed to help keep local student athletes in Hawaiʻi.

“University of Hawaiʻi is a pillar of our community, and it鈥檚 critical that it remains competitive at the highest levels,” Cox said. “Today, that requires establishing a strong NIL foundation that will help 糖心视频 attract and retain top local talent, and we need to start now.”

Jack Tsui, longtime 糖心视频 supporter and chair of the Clarence T.C. Ching Foundation and former First Hawaiian Bank president said that the private sector has an important role to play in assisting the 糖心视频 athletics department to continue to be competitive.

“My wife Frances and I are honored to participate in the fundraising project for NIL,” said Tsui. “We hope that our commitment will encourage other donors, large and small, 糖心视频 supporters, business and community leaders to stand up and be counted so that 糖心视频 can continue to be competitive and thrive.”

Walter Dods, former chief executive officer of First Hawaiian Bank and one of the university鈥檚 most prolific philanthropic supporters, said the changing landscape of college athletics requires Hawaiʻi to act.

“People can certainly have different opinions about whether college athletes should be compensated, but the reality is already here,” Dods said. “Every school we compete against is investing in NIL, and if we want Hawaiʻi teams to remain competitive and our student-athletes to stay home, then we—the state, the private sector and the broader community—need to step up in some way. We understand the pressures on the Legislature and that everyone is asking for support. That is part of why the five of us decided to act now and help create a foundation others can build on.”

Building a foundation for the future

Without a stable NIL foundation, 糖心视频 leaders say the university risks losing local talent, widening recruiting gaps and falling behind in a rapidly evolving Division I athletics landscape.

糖心视频 President Wendy Hensel said the $5-million commitment provides an important foundation for 糖心视频 Mānoa Athletics, while emphasizing that broader support will ultimately be needed to sustain long-term success.

“We are deeply grateful to Bank of Hawaiʻi, First Hawaiian Bank, Matson, Jack Tsui and Walter Dods for stepping forward with this extraordinary commitment to our student-athletes and the future of 糖心视频 Mānoa Athletics,” Hensel said. “College athletics has fundamentally changed, and this investment helps ensure 糖心视频 can continue to retain Hawaiʻi student-athletes and remain competitive while creating benefits that extend well beyond campus—from student success and statewide pride to the significant economic impact for our state.”

Elliott said the commitment represents a strong start, but emphasized continued investment will be critical to building long-term success.

“I genuinely believe we are only scratching the surface of what 糖心视频 Athletics can become,” Elliott said. “If we build this foundation the right way—with support from philanthropy, corporate partners and ultimately the state—we can retain local student-athletes, compete at a high level and continue creating opportunities for student-athletes who want to stay home, earn their degrees and represent Hawaiʻi the right way.”

Elliott added that 糖心视频 Mānoa Athletics plans to launch a new giving society later this year to honor the individuals and organizations helping strengthen opportunities for student-athletes and support the department鈥檚 long-term future.

“The five leadership commitments announced today serve as an inspiring foundation for the giving society and underscore the momentum building for Our Team, Hawaiʻi鈥檚 Team.”

Joshua Walker was announced as the fourth head coach of the on June 5 by University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa Athletics Director Matt Elliott. Walker, an All-American as a student-athlete and national championship-winning assistant coach for the Rainbow Warrior volleyball team, returns to his alma mater to take the helm of the women’s program.

“We are absolutely thrilled to welcome Joshua Walker back to the University of Hawaiʻi to lead our Rainbow Wahine volleyball program,” said Elliott. “Joshua embodies the very best of Hawaiʻi volleyball tradition and knows firsthand what it takes to win at the highest level here. His deep roots in our community, combined with his proven championship pedigree as an athlete and coach, and passion for his alma mater, make him the perfect person to lead this program. This is a homecoming, and we couldn鈥檛 be more excited that Joshua, Tehane, and their beautiful ʻohana are coming back to the islands.”

Walker comes back to 糖心视频 following a successful tenure at Baylor, where he joined the staff as an assistant coach in spring 2022 before being promoted to associate head coach in February 2023.

“I feel extremely blessed and thankful for this opportunity,” said Walker. “I鈥檇 like to thank Matt for all his diligence in making this happen, and (糖心视频 President) Wendy Hensel for her support. I’d also like to thank my wife, the rest of my family, and friends who have helped me be ready for this opportunity. Hawaiʻi has been home for a while, but I love that it gets to be our workplace again. I’m excited to get going and will work to make this program truly one of a kind.”

During his time at Baylor, Walker played an integral role in steering the Bears to multiple NCAA Tournament appearances, extending their streak to 10 consecutive tournaments by the 2025 season. In addition to his collegiate coaching success, Walker has gained valuable international experience serving as an assistant coach for USA Volleyball’s women’s team.

Walker is best known to Hawaiʻi fans for his extensive and decorated history with the Rainbow Warrior men’s volleyball program in which he was both an All-American player and national assistant coach of the year selection.

As a student-athlete from 2006 to 2011, Walker was an American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) All-American and a two-time All-Mountain Pacific Sports Federation standout. He was a consistent leader on the court, finishing his four-year career with 1,428 kills (3.91 kills per set), which ranks fifth in program history. He graduated from 糖心视频 with a bachelor’s degree in English in 2011.

Following an impressive professional playing career with Team USA and overseas in the United Arab Emirates, Greece, Denmark, and Finland—where he earned MVP and All-Star honors—Walker returned to 糖心视频 Mānoa in 2016 to begin his collegiate coaching career under head coach Charlie Wade.

During his seven seasons as an assistant coach for the 糖心视频 Mānoa men’s program, Walker helped transform the team into a national powerhouse. He accumulated a stellar 149-36 record on staff and helped guide the Warriors to back-to-back NCAA national championships in 2021 and 2022. His coaching prowess was recognized nationally in 2019 when he became the first 糖心视频 assistant to be named the AVCA Assistant Coach of the Year.

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The announced that it has selected Hawaii News Now (HNN) as its official broadcast partner. The four-year agreement, which begins July 1, 2026, marks a major shift in how fans across the islands will access 糖心视频 Mānoa sports, moving the primary home for local broadcasts from a subscription-based cable model to free, statewide television distribution and expanding how and where fans can watch 糖心视频 Mānoa sports.

The partnership returns 糖心视频 Mānoa Athletics to its original broadcast home, K5, which served as the “Home Team” for 糖心视频 Mānoa sports for nearly two decades beginning in 1994, will once again serve as the primary home for live games, original programming, and year-round coverage of the 鈥楤ows. The expanded distribution of K5 will make 糖心视频 Mānoa sports more accessible than ever to fans across the islands.

K5 broadcasts will also be available nationally through鈥痶he new Mountain West app, significantly expanding access to Rainbow Warrior and Rainbow Wahine athletics beyond Hawaiʻi. More information on how to subscribe to this service will be forthcoming. In addition to HNN鈥檚 110-game broadcast schedule, dozens of additional 糖心视频 Mānoa events will be available through the app via productions led by 糖心视频 Mānoa Athletics. HNN and 糖心视频 will also explore opportunities to showcase select campus productions across HNN stations.

By leveraging HNN鈥檚 broad statewide reach across K5, KGMB (CBS) and KHNL (NBC/Telemundo), 糖心视频 Mānoa Athletics will significantly expand access to its programs across Hawaiʻi, nearly doubling the number of television households able to watch local broadcasts of the 鈥楤ows. Beyond the islands, Gray Media’s (HNN鈥檚 parent company) national footprint will create new opportunities to showcase 糖心视频 Mānoa Athletics through special programming distributed to audiences across the country.

“This partnership is about maximizing exposure for our programs and ensuring every fan in Hawaiʻi and beyond can watch our games,” said 糖心视频 Mānoa Athletics Director Matt Elliott. “Over-the-air broadcast television is the ideal platform for the ‘Our Team, Hawaiʻi‘s Team’ theme and will make it easier than ever for our community to connect with our student-athletes. This level of reach is vital for the growth of our brand and our future success.”

As the official broadcast partner of 糖心视频 Mānoa Athletics, HNN has committed to broadcasting a minimum of 110 home sporting events per year, including all available football, men’s basketball, women’s basketball, men’s volleyball and women’s volleyball games, plus broadcasts of baseball, softball and women’s soccer.

The agreement represents an estimated annual partnership value of approximately $7.5 million, reflecting a model designed to create broader long-term value for 糖心视频 Mānoa Athletics rather than a traditional rights-fee model. The partnership includes expanded statewide access, significantly more televised events, year-round storytelling and promotion, student development opportunities, initiatives that support NIL community value for student-athletes, and shared revenue opportunities tied to campus productions and the Warrior FAST Channel.

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The University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa鈥檚 “Our Team, Hawaiʻi鈥檚 Team” trophy tour brought the NCAA Men鈥檚 Volleyball National Championship trophy to 糖心视频 campuses and community locations across Oʻahu following the Rainbow Warriors鈥� national title victory earlier this month.

The tour began at 糖心视频 Mānoa on May 20 with stops at Bachman Hall and Hawaiʻi Hall, and on May 22 at the 糖心视频 Mānoa Bookstore, giving students, faculty and staff opportunities to take photos with the trophy and celebrate the program鈥檚 third NCAA championship.

“It was really cool,” said Colleen Licudine, a 糖心视频 Mānoa employee and Rainbow Warrior volleyball fan who saw the trophy at Bachman Hall. “A lot of 糖心视频 pride. My dad went to school here too, and so basically my whole life I鈥檝e been watching games from back when even Dave Shoji was coach. Seeing the men鈥檚 team rise up and be really successful in their program too, it鈥檚 been really, really nice.”

The trophy later visited Leeward Community College and 糖心视频 West Oʻahu on May 27, and Windward CC, Kapiʻolani CC and Honolulu CC on May 28, as part of a systemwide effort to thank the 糖心视频 community for its support throughout the volleyball season.

“It was so cool,” said Shanelle Bartlett, Kapiʻolani CC student and 糖心视频 fan. “The trophy is a symbol of how much effort these boys have put in to bring a championship back to our community and to the Hawaiian Islands and I feel like people underestimate us because of where we鈥檙e from. But this is a symbol showing how we are really powerful even from a small community like this.鈥�

“Hoʻomaikaʻi iā ʻoukou no ko kākou lanakila ʻana! (Congratulations on your win!),” said Windward CC Chancellor Ardis Eschenberg. “We’re so proud of the 鈥楤ows and their win for the NCAA championship. Congratulations!”

One of the attendees who made a stop at Kapiʻolani CC was former 糖心视频 men鈥檚 volleyball player from the 1970s Dalwyn Wong.

“This is great. It鈥檚 really good to see,” Wong said. “The program has come a long way. I saw the last championship trophy and the games a few years ago. To see it again this year, oh man, a pretty good feeling. I鈥檓 proud of the program and proud of all the players and coaches.”

Other stops throughout the week included Honolulu Hale, Hawaiʻi State Capitol, Hawaiian Airlines, Skyline, local businesses, corporate partners and community events across Oʻahu. Additional events across the state are being planned, including other 糖心视频 campuses.

“It really is gratifying to see how much joy and pride people take into, not only men’s volleyball but all the accomplishments in the athletic department,” said Charlie Wade, 糖心视频 Mānoa men鈥檚 volleyball head coach. “Getting a chance to share this beautiful piece of art that symbolizes something really significant accomplishment, it鈥檚 pretty cool.”

The Rainbow Warrior men鈥檚 volleyball team captured the NCAA Men鈥檚 National Collegiate Volleyball Championship on May 11 after defeating UC Irvine in four sets. The title marked the program鈥檚 third national championship and its first since back-to-back titles in 2021 and 2022.

The trophy tour was organized by the 糖心视频 Mānoa Athletics Department as a way to share the championship celebration with fans, students, faculty, staff and community supporters throughout Hawaiʻi.

“Our team, Hawaiʻi‘s team, isn’t a slogan. It’s what we’ve really bought into and we want people to know that this championship is for them too,” said Eric Mathews, 糖心视频 Mānoa athletics director of marketing and fan experience. “This isn’t just something at Mānoa. This isn’t just something for the team. This is the entire community. This is for the entire state. It’s for the entire 糖心视频 System that we have.”

Five members of the earned recognition for excellence both on the field and in the classroom, earning 2026 College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-District honors.

Junior shortstop Milan Ah Yat, sophomore pitcher Taryn Irimata, junior infielder Jamie McGaughey, senior infielder Carys Murakami and senior pitcher Hannah Pitts were all recognized for combining strong academic achievement with standout athletic performances during the 2026 season. To qualify, student-athletes must maintain at least a 3.5 cumulative grade-point average while also meeting competition requirements.

The group helped lead the Rainbow Wahine to a successful season that included multiple all-conference and regional honors. Irimata was named Big West Pitcher of the Year after posting one of the league’s top pitching performances, while McGaughey paced the team offensively and earned all-region recognition. Ah Yat, Murakami and Pitts also played key leadership roles throughout the season.

Beyond athletics and academics, the student-athletes were also active in community service efforts across Hawaiʻi and their hometowns. Their volunteer work included food distribution, environmental cleanups, youth sports coaching and support for local families and kūpuna.

McGaughey was also selected as a CSC Academic All-America finalist, advancing to the national ballot.

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The had four student-athletes earn spots in the NCAA First Round in Fayetteville, Arkansas, set for May 27–30.

Lilian Turban earned a bid in the high jump and javelin, Tara Wyllie secured a spot in the triple jump, Samaria Vital clinched a spot in the discus and Robyn Larkan is NCAA bound in the 100m hurdles.

It鈥檚 the fifth consecutive year that the Rainbow Wahine has sent multiple competitors to the NCAA First Round and the second straight year that at least four are bound for the preliminary round of the national meet.

Turban, the Big West runner-up and 2023 high jump All-American, is into the field in her signature event for the fourth time in her career with a season mark of 1.80m. She also qualified in the javelin for the second consecutive year, with a season-best mark of 48.12m.

Wyllie has qualified for the NCAA First Round triple jump for the third time in her career, taking a mark of 12.93m into the postseason. Vital earned her first career trip to the NCAA First Round in the discus, throwing 51.95m at the Big West Championship to vault up the regional rankings. School-record holder Larkan rounds out the group of Rainbow Wahine bound for nationals, taking her time of 13.44 seconds into the postseason.

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Turban named Big West Championship Field Athlete of the Meet

For the second consecutive season, Turban took home Big West Championship Field Athlete of the Meet honors following her all-around strong performance at the conference championship meet, May 15–16. Turban totaled 16 points across three different field events to put up more than one-third of the 糖心视频 Mānoa team total for the meet. The Rainbow Wahine placed eighth as a team with 47 points.

The senior turned in a runner-up finish in the high jump to put up eight points, clearing 1.78m (5-10). She matched champion Zharia Taylor of UC Irvine in clearance height but lost out to Taylor due to having three more failed attempts.

Turban added five points to the team total in the javelin, coming in fourth with a toss of 46.03m (151-0) on her third attempt. She also placed sixth in the shot put with a mark of 14.61m (47-11.25) to cap off her scoring for the meet with three points.

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After claiming a third straight Big West title and NCAA tournament appearance, four members of the were named to the Association of Collegiate Water Polo Coaches (ACWPC) Division I All-America teams for the 2026 season, the organization announced May 21.

Sophomore attacker Agatha Weston earned ACWPC All-America Second-Team honors, while junior goalkeeper Daisy Logtens, sophomore attacker Ema Vernoux, and freshman utility Ariadna Temprano Xambó received All-America honorable mention recognition.

With this season鈥檚 selections, 糖心视频 Mānoa has featured at least one All-American in all 29 seasons since the program鈥檚 inception in 1998. The Rainbow Wahine have produced at least four All-Americans in each of the last three seasons.

糖心视频 Mānoa finished 16-6 in head coach James Robinson鈥檚 second year at the helm, sweeping the Big West regular-season and tournament crowns for a third year in a row. The 鈥楤ows went undefeated in conference play and extended their winning streak against Big West competition to 29 consecutive victories dating back to 2024. 糖心视频 Mānoa concluded its season at the National Collegiate Women’s Water Polo Championship in La Jolla, California, securing three consecutive NCAA bids for the first time in program history.

For more on the awardees, .

Five University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa tennis student-athletes earned College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-District honors for their achievements in competition, academics and community service.

For the , seniors Allaire Berl and Sophie Rachor, along with sophomore Makeilah Nepomuceno, received recognition. On the men鈥檚 side, sophomore Adriano Dzhenev and senior Timothy Li earned honors for the .

To qualify, student-athletes must compete in at least 75% of their team鈥檚 scheduled matches. All Academic All-District honorees are eligible for consideration for the CSC Academic All-America teams, which will be announced in June.

Berl, an interdisciplinary studies major and 糖心视频 Student-Athlete Advisory Committee president, earned Dean鈥檚 List honors throughout her 糖心视频 Mānoa career and contributed extensively to community service initiatives. Rachor, pursuing a master鈥檚 degree in finance, also earned All-Big West doubles honors during her lone season at 糖心视频 Mānoa. Nepomuceno, a travel industry management major, earned All-Big West honors in singles and doubles while posting one of the top GPAs on the women鈥檚 team.

For the Rainbow Warriors, Dzhenev earned All-Big West honorable mention recognition in doubles and was named Big West Player of the Week in April. Li, who is pursuing a master鈥檚 degree in natural resource environmental management, also earned All-Big West honorable mention honors in singles and contributed to several community-based environmental and agricultural projects across Oʻahu.

糖心视频 糖心视频 Mānoa Athletics website for more on the and awardees.

Five players earned All-Big West honors, the conference announced May 19. Starting pitcher Isaiah Magdaleno and relief pitcher Tsubasa Tomii earned First Team All-Big West selections, while starter Hekili Robello was named to the Second Team, and position players Tate Shimao and Ben Zeigler-Namoa secured Honorable Mention recognition.

糖心视频 Mānoa鈥檚 representation reflects its elite pitching staff, which led the Big West and finished the regular season ranked third nationally with a 3.44 team ERA. Magdaleno, Tomii and Robello combined to account for 47.7% of the team鈥檚 innings pitched, while posting a 2.49 ERA over 206.0 innings of work.

Magdaleno firmly established himself as one of the best arms on the west coast, finishing the regular season ranked third nationally in hits allowed per nine innings and fourth in WHIP. A first-team All-Big West selection last year as a closer, he moved into the Friday night starter role and has thrived on the way to his dominant finishing stretch. Meanwhile, Tomii proved to be an invaluable weapon out of the bullpen, leading the team in appearances in his first year with the program.

Offensively, the Rainbow Warriors were paced by Shimao and Zeigler-Namoa, who provided clutch hitting and veteran leadership to earn Honorable Mention honors. 糖心视频 Mānoa heated up significantly at the plate over the final month, batting .283 with runners in scoring position during conference games to consistently back up their elite pitching staff.

The Rainbow Warriors (27-22, 16-14 Big West) will open the Big West Championship on May 20 against Cal State Fullerton in a single-elimination game at 3 p.m. HST. With its late-season surge, 糖心视频 Mānoa secured the No. 4 seed in the tournament, remaining the only program in the league to finish in the top five of the conference standings in each of the last five seasons.

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Dane Watanabe received honorable mention honors on the Big West鈥檚 All-Conference team.

The junior from Kāneʻohe led the team with a 72.97 scoring average and wrapped up the season with a career-low 5-under 211 at the Big West Championship, where he finished in sixth place. During the championship, Watanabe carded a career-low round of 7-under 65 in the second round. Throughout the season, Watanabe shot nine rounds of par or better and posted two top 10 finishes.

This year marked the fourth consecutive year a Rainbow Warrior was named to the all-conference team along with Josh Hayashida (honorable mention) last season, Blaze Akana (first team) in 2023–24 and (honorable mention) in 2022–23.

Three student-athletes from the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo programs earned recognition for their academic and athletic achievements after being named to the 2026 College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-District Team.

Jaime Paquet, Iori Furuhata and Victoria Ricaurte-Cabas received the honor from College Sports Communicators, which recognizes student-athletes who maintain at least a 3.50 cumulative GPA while competing in 90% of their team鈥檚 matches.

Paquet earned the distinction for the second consecutive year, and Furuhata represented the men鈥檚 team alongside Paquet.

On the women鈥檚 side, Ricaurte-Cabas was honored for her work in aeronautical sciences-commercial professional pilot training.

Academic All-District selections advance to the national Academic All-America ballot, with final honorees selected by CSC members.

Read more at .

University of Hawaiʻi at M膩noa men鈥檚 volleyball player Ofeck Hazan earned the for the 2026 National Collegiate Men’s Volleyball Championship.

Hazan is majoring in finance and currently carries a 4.0 grade-point-average (GPA).

The Elite Scholar-Athlete award recognizes the true essence of student-athletes by honoring the individuals who have reached the pinnacle of competition at the national championship level in their sport, while also achieving the highest academic standard among their peers. The award is presented to the student athlete with the highest cumulative GPA participating at the finals site for each of the NCAA‘s championships.

This marks the second 糖心视频 M膩noa student athlete to receive the award this season after water polo’s Gabrielle Doyle was honored in April. Hazan is also the second Rainbow Warrior volleyball player to claim the award, joining 碍腻苍补ʻ颈 Akana (2022).

Read more at .

For the second straight year, the University of Hawaiʻi at M膩noa team placed five players on the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) All-America team, highlighted by first-team selections for setter Tread Rosenthal and outside hitter Louis Sakanoko.

Adrien Roure earned second-team honors, while Quintin Greenidge and Justin Todd received honorable mention recognition. The five selections tie for the program鈥檚 second-most in a single season.

Rosenthal, a finalist for National Player of the Year, ranks second nationally in assists per set, while Sakanoko played a career-best season offensively. Roure continues to be a key contributor with a team-high in aces, and Greenidge leads the Big West in digs. Todd has anchored the middle with strong blocking and efficient hitting.

The honors mark the ninth time in the past 10 years the Rainbow Warriors have had at least four All-Americans.

The Rainbow Warriors face Long Beach State in the semifinals of the NCAA Championships on May 9 in Los Angeles, California. The winner will advance to the national championship game on May 11.

Read more at .

First-year head coach Panita Thanatharn earned Big West Co-Coach of the Year honors, sophomore Taryn Irimata was voted Big West Pitcher of the Year and a total of seven Rainbow Wahine garnered all-conference honors, announced on May 5.

糖心视频 Mānoa鈥檚 seven All-Big West selections—as voted on by the league鈥檚 10 head coaches—are the most for the Rainbow Wahine since 2017. Milan Ah Yat (junior, shortshop), Millie Fidge (senior, first base/pitcher), Irimata (sophomore, pitcher) and Jamie McGaughey (junior, third base/first base) were voted to the All-Big West First Team, while Hannah Pitts (senior, pitcher) and Kayara Tuiloma (sophomore, left field) were placed on the second team. Rookie Briana Maio-Silva rounded out the awardees, becoming just the 12th 糖心视频 player to earn a spot on the Big West’s All-Freshman Team.

Thanatharn led the ‘Bows to a 29-18 overall record and a 21-6 mark in conference to claim the second seed in this week’s Big West Championship. After a slow start, the Rainbow Wahine caught fire during the conference season, winning seven of nine series鈥攊ncluding five series sweeps. It is only the sixth time in program history that 糖心视频 has reached the 20-win plateau in conference play.

Irimata, a Campbell High School graduate from ʻEwa Beach, leads the league with a 2.21 overall earned-run average and a minuscule 1.60 ERA in conference games. Irimata leads the team in strikeouts (83), complete games (13), shutouts (5) and innings pitched (117.0), while holding opponents to a .216 batting average.

The Rainbow Wahine earned the No. 2 seed in the double-elimination Big West Softball Championship at Anderson Family Field in Fullerton, California. 糖心视频 will play the winner of No. 3 seed UC Santa Barbara vs. No. 6 seed UC San Diego on May 7.

For more on the awardees, .

鈥檚 Isaiah Magdaleno has earned several national pitcher of the week honors after putting together a masterpiece performance on May 1 against UC Riverside. The junior struck out 16 batters in a complete game, one-hit shutout in which he took a no-hitter into the ninth inning.

Magdaleno’s national honors

• Golden Spikes Award/D1Baseball National Player of the Week
• College Baseball Foundation National Pitcher of the Week
• National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association National Pitcher of the Week
• Perfect Game National Pitcher of the Week
• Baseball America National Team of the Week

Magdaleno was dominant from the opening pitch, becoming the only pitcher in the country this year to throw a complete-game shutout with at least 16 strikeouts. He punched out at least one batter in every inning, including multiple punch-outs in each of the first six frames, on his way to allowing just one hit and one walk on 107 pitches.

The right-hander was perfect through 6.1 innings before issuing a walk on a 3-2 pitch that narrowly missed the zone. He carried the no-hitter into the ninth inning before allowing his first hit on an infield chopper that bounced over the head of third baseman Tate Shimao with one out in the final frame.

Despite losing the no-hit bid with two outs to go, Magdaleno settled down and picked up a strikeout to strand the tying run at third and preserve the win, setting the tone for 糖心视频‘s three-game sweep of the Highlanders.

Magdaleno’s masterpiece marked the first complete-game effort by a Rainbow Warrior pitcher since Randy Abshier on April 22, 2023. He is one of only six pitchers nationally to strike out 16 or more batters in a game this year. In doing so, he became just the third pitcher in program history—and the first since 1979—to strike out at least 16 batters in a game, joining Gerald Ako and program record-holder Derek Tatsuno, who famously struck out 20.

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The team received an at-large bid into the 2026 NCAA championship tournament and earned a spot to host one of the four regionals, May 1–2.

The Rainbow Warriors are seeded No. 2 and received a bye into the regional final on May 2. They will play the winner of the May 1 match between USC and Belmont Abbey. Both matches will be played at Bankoh Arena at Stan Sheriff Center. Tickets for 糖心视频‘s regional go on sale Monday, April 27.

This is the first year the national tournament has expanded to 12 teams. The other three teams hosting the regionals are No. 1 UCLA, No. 3 Long Beach State and No. 4 Ball State.

If 糖心视频 Mānoa wins the regional final, they will advance to the final four, May 9–11, at Pauley Pavilion on the campus of UCLA. The Rainbow Warriors last won the national championship in back-to-back years in 2021 and 2022.

鈥楤ows fall to Long Beach State in conference title match

This comes after the Rainbow Warriors fell in the Big West Championship to Long Beach State in a thrilling five-set title match 20-25, 27-25, 22-25, 30-28, 15-11, on April 25 at the Bren Events Center in Irvine, California. The top-seeded Rainbow Warriors (27-5) saw five attempts at championship point in the fourth set denied as the Beach (24-4) extended the match to a fifth set. Long Beach State then ran away early and held off the Warriors in the deciding set.

The Rainbow Warriors and the Beach went to five sets for the second time in three meetings this season and Long Beach State emerged with the win in a three-hour battle that featured 44 ties.

糖心视频 opposite Kristian Titriyski led the Warriors and tied his season high with 20 kills in 41 attempts. Louis Sakanoko finished with 17 kills while hitting .353 and Adrien Roure added 15 kills and two aces. Tread Rosenthal distributed 54 assists and also served up two aces to raise his career total to 114 and tie Rado Parapunov for fifth in program history. Ofeck Hazan set a career high with nine blocks, including two solo.

For more, visit the .

Record-breaking kicker Kansei Matsuzawa, affectionately known as “The Tokyo Toe,” signed an undrafted free agent contract with the Las Vegas Raiders on April 25.

During his time at 糖心视频, Matsuzawa rewrote the program’s record books. In his stellar 2025 senior season, he made 27 of 29 field goals, setting a new single-season school record and finishing second in the nation in made field goals. He tied a 43-year-old FBS record by making 25 consecutive field goals to start the season.

Overall, Matsuzawa connected on 26 consecutive field goals stretching from the end of 2024 through November 2025, which matched the Mountain West Conference record and shattered the previous 糖心视频 school record of 20 set by Jason Elam in 1989. He leaves 糖心视频 as the most accurate kicker in program history, boasting a career field goal percentage of .867 (39-of-45).

His on-field dominance earned him unprecedented recognition. Matsuzawa became the first consensus All-American in 糖心视频 program history. He was named the Mountain West Special Teams Player of the Year, a finalist for the Lou Groza Award (joining only Jason Elam in 糖心视频 history), and a nominee for the Burlsworth Trophy, which honors the nation’s top player who began their career as a walk-on.

Matsuzawa’s signing marks the culmination of one of the most incredible stories in college football. A native of the Tokyo area and a former high school soccer player, Matsuzawa did not begin kicking until age 20 after attending an NFL game during a trip to the U.S. Driven to pursue the sport, he taught himself the mechanics of kicking by watching YouTube videos, eventually earning an opportunity at Hocking College in Ohio before joining 糖心视频 as a walk-on prior to the 2023 season.

For more, visit the .

A total of 127 University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo student-athletes have excelled in the classroom, earning academic honors for maintaining a cumulative grade point average of 3.30 or higher through the end of the fall 2025 semester.

The Vulcans were honored at a reception at the ʻImiloa Astronomy Center Moanahoku Hall. Women鈥檚 volleyball senior Emerson Reinke served as this year鈥檚 scholar-athlete speaker.

Honorees came from a variety of majors and sports, including basketball, baseball, golf, soccer, softball, tennis and volleyball.

Read the full list of honorees at .

In the wake of the recent Kona low storms that swept across the state, the University of Hawaiʻi at M膩noa community rallied together in a show of support鈥攖urning a weekend of men鈥檚 volleyball into a meaningful effort to help those in need.

Over two nights, March 27–28, fans packed the Bankoh Arena at Stan Sheriff Center for Rainbow Warrior volleyball games, with attendance reaching more than 8,000 on both nights. But beyond the excitement on the court, there was a deeper purpose in play.

Partnering with Spectrum Sports, raised awareness for a campus-wide food drive, encouraging fans to donate essential items as the state recovered from recent storms and historic flooding.

“We鈥檙e incredibly proud of how our 糖心视频 M膩noa community showed up, not just to support our team, but to support one another,” 糖心视频 M膩noa Vice Provost for Student Success Katrina-Ann Kap膩 Oliveira said. “In the aftermath of these storms, it鈥檚 moments like this that remind us what it means to be part of something bigger than sports. Seeing our fans, student-athletes and staff come together to give back in such a meaningful way speaks volumes about what it means to be part of this university.”

Nearly 20 volunteers, including student-athletes, university staff, Food Vault student workers and members of the , worked together to collect, sort and weigh donations. By the end of the drive, they gathered 2,984 pounds of food and toiletries.

“It was really inspiring to be part of this. Knowing that these donations are already going directly to students and families who need them makes all the effort worth it,” said Micah Kaonohi-Kaihenui, a 糖心视频 M膩noa student-athlete and volunteer.

The donations were then distributed to maximize impact. Food Vault Hawaiʻi retained 491.5 pounds of toiletries and 1,246.25 pounds of food to support students facing food insecurity on campus. The remaining 1,246.25 pounds of food was directed to the Hawaiʻi Foodbank, extending the reach of the effort to communities across the state.

Even before the final totals were announced, the impact was already being felt. Several tubs of donated goods had made their way onto pantry shelves at Food Vault Hawaiʻi the very next morning, where students quickly began picking up much-needed supplies, highlighting the strength of a community who rallied in the face of devastation.