The University of Â鶹´«Ã½ at Hilo team won the 2026 Pacific West Conference Championship at Aliante Golf Club, marking the program’s second conference title.

The Vulcans held steady in second place through the first two rounds before delivering a strong final-round score of 295 (+7), finishing the tournament at +31 (895) to clinch the team victory.

Elle Otani led the way for UH Hilo, tying for fourth overall at +4 with rounds of 74, 73, and 73. Otani closed with a par on the final hole, sealing the win as teammates rushed to celebrate.

Kiersten Saludares placed eighth at +9, followed by Kailee McKee in ninth at +10 and Trinity Ledgerwood tied for 10th at +11. Kieran Florino bounced back from a difficult second round to post a one-over finish in the final round, contributing to the team’s decisive push.

The team will now compete in the NCAA West Regional tournament in Colorado, May 4–6.

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The University of Â鶹´«Ã½ at Hilo team captured its fourth consecutive Pacific West Conference Championship April 22 at Aliante Golf Club, continuing its dominance in the league.

Dylan Bercan led the way, claiming his second straight individual title after finishing at eight-under overall. Holding a two-shot lead entering the final round, Bercan stayed in control with a two-under performance to become the program’s first two-time PacWest champion.

The Vulcans entered the final round with a commanding lead and closed with a five-under 283 to finish the tournament at seven-under as a team, securing their seventh overall conference crown.

Jacob Torres placed fifth at one-over, while Katsuhiro Yamashita tied for eighth at three-over. Ben Crinella and Dysen Park both finished tied for 14th at four-over.

The Vulcans will compete in the NCAA South Central/West Regional tournament, May 7–9.

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A total of 127 University of Â鶹´«Ã½ 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’s volleyball senior Emerson Reinke served as this year’s 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 .

The University of Â鶹´«Ã½ at Hilo team wrapped up a memorable week-long trip to Japan, combining cultural immersion with international competition.

The Vulcans stayed at Tenri University in Nara, where players participated in morning exercises and connected with local students. The team also visited popular Japan destinations including Nara Deer Park and Tsukiji Market, and traveled aboard the Shinkansen.

The team closed out the trip with exhibition games against Josai University and Nippon Sport Science University, gaining valuable experience against strong international competition.

The trip came after a demanding stretch in Southern California and provided both a cultural and competitive boost as the Vulcans prepare for the final matches of their conference season.

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University of Â鶹´«Ã½ at Hilo women’s and men’s basketball teams each placed three student-athletes on the College Sports Communicators Academic All-District Team for the 2025–26 season.

Women’s basketball

• Kaile Cruz
• Melanie Hiu
• Mindy Kawaha

Men’s basketball

• Fabio Da Rocha
• Jamal Entezami
• Julio Montes II

Awardees hold a 3.50 or higher cumulative grade-point average (with at least sophomore standing) with participation in 90% of games (or starting 66%) during the season.

Cruz, Hiu, Kawaha and Montes II are repeat selections.

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As the prepares for the 2026 season under head coach Reed Sunahara, the “Hilo faithful” have a critical role to play.

Coming off a strong 20-9 season where the team made the conference tournament but missed the NCAA tournament by a single game, the players are hungry for more. Sunahara’s goals for the upcoming season are clear: win the PacWest and secure a spot in the NCAA tournament.

Rally for the volleyball Vulcans

To take that next step, the program is turning to . Gifts will be immediately invested into the student-athlete experience, providing the essential tools necessary to advance player development.

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on or before UH Giving Day and help the Vulcans dominate the court in 2026.

This year, the team’s primary goal is to raise funds to support:

• Essential upgrades: Purchasing new practice equipment, gear and uniforms to keep the squad competitive.
• Expanded travel: Funding critical travel opportunities, including upcoming matches on Maui and Oʻahu.
• International experience: Supporting a potential trip to compete with a Japanese team.

“Hilo is already known as a great volleyball community with the best fans in the PacWest,” Sunahara said. “There are so many friends and supporters who want to see this team succeed, and every donation helps grow this program.”

Support makes a difference

Player Kamaluhia “Malu” Garcia’s 2025 volleyball season was one for the books, earning PacWest Newcomer of the Year and AVCA All-America honors, alongside a first-team all-conference selection with teammate Isabella Freeman. But behind the accolades is a story of community support.

“You can feel the difference when an entire town is behind you,” Garcia said. “The support we receive allows us to focus purely on getting better every day in the gym. That environment was a huge reason why I was able to find my rhythm so quickly last season.”

Learn more about UH Giving Day 2026.

University of Â鶹´«Ã½ at Hilo men’s basketball player Julio Montes II was named to the All-PacWest Third Team for the second time in his career. The Pacific West Conference honors are voted on by the league’s head coaches.

Montes II was the lone Vulcan selected for all-conference honors. The Vulcans guard was also named PacWest Player of the Week for February 16–22, and has the conference leading free throw percentage.

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The University of Â鶹´«Ã½ at Hilo team was named a 2025 All-Academic Team by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association after posting a 3.49 team grade-point average during the fall semester.

To qualify for the honor, programs must compete and record a team score at the NCAA Division II Regional Cross Country Championships and maintain at least a 3.0 cumulative GPA. UH Hilo placed No. 24 at the NCAA Division II West Regional in Monmouth, Oregon.

The coaches association is a nonprofit professional organization that represents cross country and track and field coaches at all levels of the sport and oversees academic and athletic recognition programs nationwide.

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The University of Â鶹´«Ã½ at Hilo team placed four student-athletes on the 2025 Academic All-District Team, recognizing excellence in the classroom and on the court.

Selected by College Sports Communicators (CSC), the honor is awarded to student-athletes who hold at least a 3.50 cumulative GPA, have sophomore standing or higher and compete in 90% of their team’s matches.

The Vulcans’ 2025 honorees are:

• Isabella Freeman, Biology
• Alohi Garcia, Communication
• Isabella Hadaller, Psychology
• Emerson Reinke, Communication

Freeman was also named an Academic All-America finalist and advanced to the national ballot.

Academic All-District selections move on to the national Academic All-America ballot, with final teams voted on by CSC members.

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University of Â鶹´«Ã½ at Hilo softball player Janessa Santos was named PacWest Pitcher of the Week after defeating Chaminade with a one-hit shutout.

Santos threw a complete-game, 7-inning shutout against rival Chaminade, allowing just one hit, one walk and she struck out seven. Santos gave up just one second-inning single and wrapped up the contest on 83 pitches. She induced four flyouts and 10 ground outs, including three right back to her. Santos is now 2–0 on the season with a 1.78 ERA.

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