University of �鶹��ý at Mānoa senior Lilian Turban earned Big West Field Athlete of the Week recognition after a pair of strong performances at the University of California, Riverside (UCR) Spring Classic.

Turban took home victories in both the high jump and javelin, clearing 1.79 m in the high jump and throwing 48.12 m in the javelin. This is the sixth time in her career that Turban has been named Big West Field Athlete of the Week, having won the award twice each in 2022 and 2023 and once in 2025.

The senior leads the Big West in the high jump—her signature event in which she has won the Big West title twice and was an NCAA All-American in 2023. Turban also sits in second in the conference in the javelin after her personal best throw of 48.12 m moved her into fourth on UH Mānoa’s all-time top 10 list.

Turban remains the only UH Mānoa athlete to earn Big West Track or Field Athlete of the Week honors more than twice in a career.

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The University of �鶹��ý at Mānoa team captured two individual titles and matched the program’s best-ever indoor conference finish with a runner-up showing at the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF) Championships.

The Rainbow Wahine totaled 39 points on day one behind champions Lilian Turban and Ava Enriquez and went on to secure second place overall, tying last year’s finish and the program’s top indoor conference result.

Turban continued her dominance in the high jump, winning her fourth consecutive MPSF indoor crown with a clearance of 1.79 meters. She later added another title in the shot put, recording a personal-best 15.02 meters. Turban now owns eight career individual conference titles across indoor and outdoor competition.

Enriquez claimed the pole vault championship in dramatic fashion, winning a jump-off tiebreaker with a personal-best clearance of 3.93 meters. Teammate Lindsey Koch added points with a fourth-place finish.

Tara Wyllie defended her MPSF indoor triple jump title for the third straight year, breaking her own school record with a leap of 13.08 meters. She also advanced to the 60-meter hurdles final alongside Robyn Larkan, who later finished runner-up in the event.

Additional points came from Rose Forshaw and Samaria Vital in the throws, Isabella Kneeshaw and Nora Fischer in the 400 meters, the distance medley relay squad, and a fifth-place finish in the 4×400 relay.

The Rainbow Wahine will now await potential qualifiers for the NCAA Indoor Championships before opening the outdoor season March 13 at the Aztec Coastal Track Classic.

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For the second time this season, Rainbow Wahine runner Lucy Milliner was named Big West Athlete of the Week. Milliner was recognized on October 7, after winning the Charles Bowles Invitational in record fashion.

Milliner broke a 24-year-old 5k school record previously held by Cheryl Smith (16:56.33, 2001) by running 16:45.10 to lower the record by more than 11 seconds. She came in 9 seconds ahead of the runner-up to pick up her second win of the season in as many events.

The sophomore now tops the UH Mānoa record books in four different events between cross country and indoor and outdoor track. Milliner also holds program records in both the 800m and 1500m outdoors while owning the school record in the indoor mile. Additionally, she is second in UH Mānoa history in both the cross country 6k and the indoor 800m.

Milliner is the first UH Mānoa runner to earn multiple Big West Athlete of the Week honors in a single season since the ‘Bows joined the conference. She is also the first student-athlete to be named conference athlete of the week twice this season.

She began her 2025 season by winning the Big Wave Invitational for her first career individual victory. This also marks the second consecutive year that a Rainbow Wahine athlete has earned the win at multiple meets in a season, after Emilie Kirk Langschwager won both the Big Wave Invitational and Charles Bowles Invitational in 2024.

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Five athletes earned College Sports Communicators Academic All-District honors on June 24, for their accomplishments in the classroom and in competition.

Honorees must have a GPA of 3.5 or higher while ranking highly in a regional ranking in their respective events.

Track and Field Honorees

• Rose Forshaw – Throws
• Helen Hoadley – Pole Vault
• Catherine Touchette – Multis
• Lilian Turban – Jumps/Throws
• Tara Wyllie – Jumps/Hurdles

This marks the third consecutive year that the Rainbow Wahine have had the maximum number of student-athletes named Academic All-District. Turban earned the honor for the third straight year while Hoadley and Wyllie have claimed the recognition for the second consecutive season.

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University of �鶹��ý at Mānoa’s Lilian Turban of the team earned Big West Field Athlete of the Meet honors after scoring 21 points at the conference championships.

The Tallinn, Estonia native won titles in the high jump (1.81m) and javelin (personal best 46.53m), and added a point in the shot put (14.41m).

Turban became the first UH athlete to win two different field event titles at a conference meet and the first in Big West history to claim both the high jump and javelin in the same year. Turban will compete in both events at the NCAA First Round May 28–31.

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University of �鶹��ý at Mānoa junior Tara Wyllie earned Big West Field Athlete of the Week honors after posting a conference-leading mark in the triple jump at the Stanford Invitational, April 4–5.

Wyllie improved upon her No. 2 outdoor triple jump mark in school history by posting a jump of 12.93m (42-5.25) to place fourth in the invitational section at Stanford. She now leads the Big West in the event by .08m and came just .09m shy of the school record set by Amanda Alvarez in 2013.

She also ranks 26th nationally in the triple jump and 16th in the west region.

It’s the second time that Wyllie has earned Big West Field Athlete of the Week honors.

The is joining the Mountain West Conference as a full member effective July 1, 2026. Travel subsidies for conference opponents will be phased out as part of the new membership and the exit fee from the Big West Conference will be covered. Since 2012, UH has been competing in the Mountain West in football and in the Big West for most of its other men’s and women’s sports teams.

“The University of �鶹��ý is honored to accept full membership in the Mountain West Conference, marking a pivotal moment in our athletic program’s history.” said UH President David Lassner. “While we are sad to leave so many amazing colleagues and competitors in the Big West, this expanded partnership will build on our strong football relationship and securely position us to thrive with our Mountain West colleagues in the incredibly dynamic landscape of intercollegiate athletics. The move will also help strengthen our overall finances.”

The addition of UH as a full member of the conference gives the Mountain West eight full-time members, meeting the NCAA minimum requirement to be a Division I conference. The move comes after five schools announced in September that they are leaving the conference in 2026 and the University of Texas El Paso (UTEP) accepted an offer to join the Mountain West. The conference announced on September 26 that remaining schools signed a memorandum of understanding, affirming their current commitment to the conference and formally agreeing to negotiating and executing a six year media rights contract that would begin in July 2026.

“We are thrilled to welcome the University of �鶹��ý to the Mountain West as a full-time member,” said MW Commissioner Gloria Nevarez. “�鶹��ý has been a tremendous football-only member since 2012, and we’re excited to add their incredible national brand across all MW sports. As the flagship institution on the islands, with extraordinary academics and a celebrated athletics tradition, we look forward to providing their student-athletes with exceptional educational and athletic experiences.”

Beginning with the 2026–27 seasons, �鶹��ý will compete in 15 conference-sponsored sports in the Mountain West. Women’s sports include basketball, cross country, golf, indoor and outdoor track & field, soccer, softball, swimming & diving, tennis and volleyball. Men’s sports include basketball, baseball, football, golf, and tennis. The Mountain West does not sponsor beach volleyball, men’s volleyball, men’s swimming & diving, and women’s water polo. A formal decision on where those UH teams will compete will be determined in the coming months. UH’s co-ed and women’s sailing teams will continue their affiliation with the Pacific Coast Collegiate Sailing Conference.

“This is a momentous day for University of �鶹��ý Athletics,” said UH Athletics Director Craig Angelos. “We’ve had the privilege of being a football-only member in the Mountain West for the last dozen years. Now the majority of our sports will enjoy the same experience of competing in this exceptional conference. Joining the Mountain West allows us to renew some historic rivalries, creates opportunities for increased exposure and provides stability in the constantly-evolving world of collegiate athletics.”

State leaders say they support the conference realignment.

“I’m encouraged that community leaders and the University of �鶹��ý President and Athletics Director are on the same page with the current proposal to fully join the Mountain West Conference,” said �鶹��ý Gov. Josh Green. “We are optimistic about moving forward with the MWC as it is a conference that we are familiar with, and will position UH athletics well moving forward.”

“As a proud University of �鶹��ý alum, former player and coach, I have a deep connection to this institution and its future,” said Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi. “While I respect the decision to remain in the Mountain West Conference, I personally would have liked to see UH explore opportunities with the newly restructured Pac-12. However, I trust that UH leadership has made this decision with the best interests of the university and our community in mind, and I will continue to support them in representing �鶹��ý with pride and strength.”

UH Mānoa is the only Division I athletics program in �鶹��ý with approximately 500 student-athletes on 22 teams. The school became a member of the NCAA in 1946 and joined its first major intercollegiate conference in 1979. UH boasts six team national championships and 11 individual national champions in its history.

The other Mountain West Conference members as of July 2026 will be the United States Air Force Academy; University of Nevada, Reno; University of New Mexico; San José State University; University of Nevada, Las Vegas; the University of Wyoming; and UTEP.

The University of �鶹��ý at Mānoa will be well represented at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Thirteen current, former and future Rainbow Warriors and Rainbow Wahine will participate at the 2024 Paris Olympics—12 athletes and one coach.

The 12 athletes match the highest total for UH in any Olympics (12 in 2000). Two athletes represent the U.S.—kiteboarder Daniela Moroz and men’s volleyball player Taylor Averill—along with women’s volleyball assistant coach Alfee Reft. Moroz and men’s basketball player Akira Jacobs (Japan) are current UH student-athletes, while water polo player Ema Vernoux (France) is an incoming freshman for the Rainbow Wahine. Water polo player Camille Radosavljevic (France) took a break from UH but is expected to return following the Olympics.

Four of the 12 compete in water polo followed by three each in swimming and basketball (5×5 and 3×3), and one each in sailing and men’s volleyball. Along with the two U.S. athletes, other countries represented include France (2), New Zealand (2), American Samoa (1), Australia (1), Canada (1), Japan (1), Latvia (1) and Netherlands (1).

UH Women’s Volleyball Head Coach Robyn Ah Mow competed for the U.S. in the 2000, 2004 and 2008 Olympics, and explained what the athletes are likely feeling ahead of this year’s games.

“Anxious, nervous, excited,” Ah Mow said. “We started playing right after the Opening Ceremonies, so we practiced all the way up to the start of the games. In all three, we were on site at least a week prior—we were training, we were there, so we were in the moment already.

For the opening ceremonies…from my first one to the third one, they were all totally different. But for the first one, I was in amazement of just being there about to walk into the opening ceremonies to play in one of the biggest sporting events in the world. To be one of only 12 out of a zillion players to make the U.S. National Team was an achievement. I was proud to literally represent my country and �鶹��ý where I was born and raised and went to school.”

More UH Olympic athletes:

• UH swimming alumni set for Paris Olympics, July 22, 2024
• Former UH sailor Moroz to compete in Paris Olympics, July 17, 2024
• 4 Wahine water polo players to compete at Olympics, July 16, 2024
• UH’s Jacobs, Raimo headed to 2024 Summer Olympics, July 8, 2024

All-Time UH Olympians (59)

Baseball (1)

• Andrew McNally—Australia, 1996

Men’s Basketball (3)

• Tom Henderson—USA, 1972 (silver)
• Akira Jacobs—Japan, 2024
• Zigmars Raimo—Latvia, 2024 (competed in 3×3 Basketball)

Sailing (6)

• Kui Lim—Chinese Taipei, 1984
• Yal Lim—Chinese Taipei, 1984/li>
• Daniela Moroz—USA, 2024 (competed in Kite)/li>
• John Myrdal—USA, 2000/li>
• Molly O’Bryan-Vandemoer—USA, 2012/li>
• Fung Yang—Hong Kong, 1996

Women’s Soccer (1)

• Natasha Kai—USA, 2008 (gold)

Softball (6)

• Rachel Lack—Australia, 2020
• Kaia Parnaby—Australia, 2020
• Stacey Porter—Australia, 2004 (silver), 2008 (bronze)
• Justin Smethurst—Australia, 2008 (bronze)
• Clare Warwick—Australia, 2020
• Brooke Wilkins—Australia, 1996 (bronze), 2000 (bronze), 2004 (silver)

Men’s Swimming (7)

• Azad Al-Barazi—Syria, 2012, 2016
• Nicholas Folker—South Africa, 2000
• Kane Follows—New Zealand, 2024
• Matthew Hon Ming Kwok—Hong Kong, 2000
• Gary Hurring—New Zealand, 1984
• Micah Masei—American Samoa, 2020, 2024
• Simon Thirsk—South Africa, 2000

Women’s Swimming (12)

• Jasmine Alkhaldi—Philippines, 2012, 2016
• Susie Atwood—USA, 1968, 1972 (1G, 1S, 1B)
• Yan Chen—China, 1996, 2000
• Renate Du Plessis—South Africa, 2000
• Evelyn Kawamoto-Konno—USA, 1952 (2B)
• Shelly Mann—USA, 1956 (1G, 1B)
• Barbara Mitchell—USA, 1972
• Maureen O’Toole—USA, 200, 1996, 2000, 2004
• Melanie Schlanger—Australia, 2008 (1G, 1B), 2012 (1G, 2S)
• Laticia Transom—New Zealand, 2024
• Camille Wright—USA, 1976 (1S)

Track and Field (1)

• Lacey O’Neal—USA, 1964, 1972

Men’s Volleyball (4)

• Nikolas Berger—Austria, 2000, 2004 (competed in beach volleyball)
• Carlos Briceno—USA, 1992 (bronze)
• Clay Stanley—USA, 2004, 2008 (gold), 2012
• Taylor Averill—USA, 2024

Women’s Volleyball (6)

• Robyn Ah Mow—USA, 2000, 2004, 2008 (silver)
• Heather Bown—USA, 2000, 2004, 2008 (silver)
• Deitre Collins—USA, 1988
• Bobbie Perry—USA, 1968
• Teee Williams—USA, 1992 (bronze), 1996
• Kim Willoughby—USA, 2008 (silver)

Women’s Water Polo (12)

• Marie-Luc Arpin—Canada, 2000, 2004
• Meike De Nooy—Netherlands, 2008 (gold)
• Monika Eggens—Canada, 2020
• Dagmar Genee—Netherlands, 2020
• Irene Gonzalez Lopez—Spain, 2020 (silver)
• Maartje Keuning—Netherlands, 2020, 2024
• Elyse Lemay-Lavoie—Canada, 2020, 2024
• Gabriela Montellato Dias—Brazil, 2016
• Camille Radosavljevic—France, 2024
• Iefke Van Belkum—Netherlands, 2008 (gold)
• Ema Vernoux—France, 2024
• Jordan Wedderburn—South Africa, 2020

Italics – attended UH after competing in the Olympics

junior high jumper Lilian Turban earned second-team College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-America honors as one of the elite student-athletes in collegiate track and field. The announcement was made on July 9.

Turban is just the second Rainbow Wahine track and field athlete to earn Academic All-America honors and the first since 2009. Only three-time Academic All-American Annett Wichmann (2007–09) has claimed the recognition. She is also the only Big West student-athlete to be on any of the three teams.

The Tallinn, Estonia native finished the indoor season as a U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association Second-Team Academic All-American after finishing 10th in the high jump at the NCAA Indoor Championships. Her appearance was the first by a Rainbow Wahine athlete since 2010, while making her only the third different UH athlete ever to compete at the event.

Turban secured a spot in the NCAA Indoor Championships by jumping 1.86m (6-1.25) to take home her second consecutive high jump title at the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF) Indoor Championships. The mark of 1.86m is also the second-best mark all-time at UH.

A , Turban has also earned CSC Academic All-District recognition and MPSF All-Academic honors this season for her athletic and academic accomplishments.

A total of 73 earned academic All-Big West honors for spring sports during the 2024 season. The sports included are baseball, beach volleyball, men’s golf, women’s golf, softball, men’s tennis, women’s tennis, women’s track and field, men’s volleyball and women’s water polo.

The track and field team had the most honorees with 18 followed by softball (13), baseball (12) and water polo (10).

To be eligible for the All-Academic team, student athletes must maintain a 3.0 cumulative grade point average, complete one full year at the member institution prior to the season and compete in at least 50 percent of their team’s contests (baseball pitchers are exempt of participation standards, track and field must either compete in 50% or conference championship).