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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Two standout players from the University of Hawaiʻi at M膩noa earned regional recognition after being named to the 2026 National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Division I All-West Region teams.

Infielder Jamie McGaughey was selected to the All-West Region Second Team, while pitcher Taryn Irimata earned Third-Team honors from the NFCA.

McGaughey became the first Rainbow Wahine player to earn second-team all-region honors since Brittany Hitchcock and Nicole Lopez in 2019. She started in all 50 games and led 糖心Vlog官方 M膩noa offensively with a .394 batting average, 12 home runs, 13 doubles and 43 RBI. She also earned All-Big West First Team honors and twice was named Big West Field Player of the Week.

Irimata, the reigning Big West Pitcher of the Year, finished the season with a 13-9 record and a conference-best 2.49 ERA. She threw 14 complete games, recorded 90 strikeouts across 129.1 innings and led the Rainbow Wahine pitching staff with 22 starts.

NFCA recognized 378 student-athletes from 154 programs across its 10 regions this season. All all-region honorees are now eligible for selection to the 2026 NFCA Division I All-America teams.

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Lexie Tilton came to University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo from Oʻahu‘s ʻIolani School on a softball scholarship鈥攁nd somewhere between the diamond and the dean鈥檚 list, she found her real fight. This spring 2026, she graduates with a and a , headed to 糖心Vlog官方鈥檚 law school with one clear mission: helping local families afford to stay in Hawaiʻi.

Initially drawn to 糖心Vlog官方 Hilo for the opportunity to play Division II softball on scholarship, Tilton quickly fell in love with the island’s welcoming environment.

“I love the community here. They say this campus is the most diverse in the world, and it has always felt very inviting and supportive, especially for the athletic community,” shared Tilton, 糖心Vlog官方 Hilo鈥檚 #4 outfielder and 2025 PacWest Conference Co-Defender of the Year.

The transition from a structured high school to the freedom of a university setting allowed Tilton, who has repeatedly earned recognition for maintaining a cumulative GPA of 3.30 or higher as a student-athlete, to flourish.

Tilton holds great pride in the world-class education she received. She emphasizes the prestige of the , which is accredited by the AACSB International (Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business), the highest standard for business schools worldwide.

Tilton reflected on the close-knit but powerful nature of the entire university.

“We鈥檙e small, but we鈥檙e feisty, and we get it done,” she said.

Tilton shared that her academic trajectory was profoundly shaped by 糖心Vlog官方 Hilo鈥檚 dedicated faculty. These academic connections proved vital for Tilton, who is already a licensed real estate agent. Inspired by her mother, a first-generation college graduate and realtor, she has sights set on an incredibly noble goal.

This fall, she will attend the to become a real estate attorney. Her mission is to combat the state鈥檚 soaring housing prices.

“We want to be able to empower locals to become homeowners by creating more affordable housing so they鈥檙e able to stay here,” Tilton explained, citing sobering statistics of how many Hawaiʻi natives are forced to move away to make ends meet.

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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Vlog官方 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Vlog官方 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Vlog官方 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Vlog官方 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, .

The University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo placed three players on the All-PacWest Conference postseason awards list, as the Vulcans prepare for the conference tournament.

Left fielder Lexie Tilton headlined the group, repeating as PacWest Defender of the Year while also earning All-PacWest Second Team honors. Tilton became part of a growing tradition under head coach Aisha Sueda, marking the program鈥檚 fourth Defender of the Year selection since 2022. She previously earned All-PacWest recognition in 2024 and 2025.

Pitcher Janessa Santos was named to the All-PacWest First Team after a dominant season in the circle. Santos ranked among the conference鈥檚 top five in multiple pitching categories, including a league-best .174 opposing batting average.

Right fielder Rayna White rounded out Hilo鈥檚 honorees with an All-PacWest Second Team selection, leading the Vulcans offensively. White also earned second team recognition in 2024.

The four-team PacWest Championships run May 5鈥�7 in La Mirada, California, with the Vulcans opening tournament play against Biola on May 5.

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University of Hawaiʻi at M膩noa third baseman Jamie McGaughey was named Big West Field Player of the Week after leading the Rainbow Wahine to a series sweep at UC Riverside to close the regular season, May 1–2.

McGaughey batted .600 with three home runs, a double, six runs scored and four RBI over the weekend. She delivered a standout performance, hitting 4-for-4 with two home runs in the second game of the series.

She finished the series with a 1.600 slugging percentage and .667 on-base percentage while also playing error-free defense at third base.

The Rainbow Wahine (29-18 overall, 21-6 Big West) earned the No. 2 seed in the double-elimination Big West Softball Championship at Anderson Family Field in Fullerton, California. 糖心Vlog官方 will play the winner of No. 3 seed UC Santa Barbara vs. No. 6 seed UC San Diego on May 7.

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University of Hawaiʻi at M膩noa pitcher Maryn MacNeil was named Big West Freshman of the Week after a standout performance in her first collegiate start.

MacNeil tossed a complete-game, one-hit shutout to lead the Rainbow Wahine to an 8鈥�0 win over Cal Poly in the second game of a doubleheader, April 24. She allowed just two baserunners across five innings and held Cal Poly to a .071 batting average while earning her first career victory.

She is the first 糖心Vlog官方 player to receive the honor since Keyannah Campbell-Pua and Millie Fidge were recognized in 2023.

MacNeil and the Rainbow Wahine are in second place in the Big West standings with an 18鈥�6 conference record and 26鈥�18 overall. 糖心Vlog官方 M膩noa will play at UC Riverside in a three-game series, May 1–2, before heading to Fullerton for the Big West Championship tournament.

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University of Hawaiʻi at M膩noa pitcher Taryn Irimata continued her standout season, earning her fourth overall and second consecutive Big West Pitcher of the Week honor.

Irimata led the Rainbow Wahine to a pair of road wins over UC San Diego, throwing two complete games while posting a 1.00 ERA. In the series opener, she allowed two runs on six hits with four strikeouts in a 3-2 victory. She followed with a dominant shutout in the series finale, striking out a career-high nine.

Irimata has won three of her last four starts, all complete games, and improves to 10-8 overall and 8-2 in conference play. She currently leads the conference with a 2.42 ERA and has held opponents to a .224 batting average with 72 strikeouts.

Irimata鈥檚 four weekly honors are the most by a Rainbow Wahine pitcher since Kaia Parnaby earned five in 2013.

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University of Hawaiʻi at M膩noa standouts Jamie McGaughey and Taryn Irimata swept Big West Conference weekly honors, earning Field Player and Pitcher of the Week, respectively, after a dominant series against Cal State Bakersfield Roadrunners, April 10–11.

McGaughey powered the Rainbow Wahine鈥檚 offense, batting .667 with two home runs, two doubles and nine RBI across the three-game sweep. She opened the weekend with a two-run home run and later delivered a three-run double in a 10鈥�8 game one win.

Irimata was equally dominant, throwing back-to-back complete-game shutouts. She posted a 0.00 ERA over 10 innings, allowing just four hits while holding opponents to a .118 batting average.

The weekly honor marks the first of McGaughey鈥檚 career and the third this season for Irimata, who continues to anchor a 糖心Vlog官方 pitching staff that has claimed half of the conference鈥檚 weekly awards so far this year.

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The University of Hawaiʻi 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 Hawaiʻi at M膩noa pitcher Hannah Pitts delivered a standout performance to earn Big West Pitcher of the Week honors, leading the Rainbow Wahine to a key win over UC Santa Barbara on April 4.

Pitts tossed a complete-game shutout in the second game of the series, allowing no runs over seven innings in a 6-0 victory against the conference-leading Gauchos. Pitts threw 113 pitches, struck out three and did not allow an extra-base hit while holding UCSB to a .267 batting average, securing her second weekly conference honor of the season.

Pitts improved to 8-4 overall and 5-1 in Big West play. She currently holds a 1.32 ERA in conference action and ranks among the nation鈥檚 best, sitting at No. 7 in the NCAA in walks allowed per seven innings and No. 12 with four shutouts.

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University of Hawaiʻi at M膩noa softball player Taryn Irimata was selected as the Big West Pitcher of the Week after earning two wins and posting a perfect 0.00 ERA against Long Beach State March 20鈥�21.

This marks the second weekly conference honor of Irimata’s career, after earning the accolade for the first time in the first week of the 2026 season.

In both games, Irimata held Long Beach State scoreless across 10 innings, allowing just two hits, while issuing six walks and striking out four.

糖心Vlog官方 M膩noa will face California State University, Northridge in a three-game series beginning on March 27 at the Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium.

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University of Hawaiʻi at M膩noa softball pitcher Hannah Pitts earned her first Big West Pitcher of the Week award on March 9 following a pair of road wins at UC Davis.

The senior posted a 0.54 ERA, allowing just one run in 13 innings, while holding the Aggies to a .149 batting average.

In the series opener, Pitts recorded her first shutout as a Rainbow Wahine. In the series finale, Pitts earned her second win of the series, allowing just one run in six innings as the Rainbow Wahine defeated UC Davis 9鈥�1.

Overall, Pitts has a team-low 2.66 ERA in 12 appearances and seven starts. She has thrown a team-high 52.2 innings with five walks and 28 strikeouts.

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University of Hawaiʻi 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鈥�0 on the season with a 1.78 ERA.

Read more at .

University of Hawaiʻi at M膩noa pitcher Taryn Irimata was voted Big West Pitcher of the Week following an impressive Rainbow Wahine debut at the Bank of Hawaiʻi Paradise Classic.

The sophomore transfer went 2-0 with a 1.00 ERA over 14 innings, throwing complete-game wins against SeattleU and Pacific while allowing just one run in each outing. Irimata held opponents to a .143 batting average, walked four and struck out nine.

Irimata began her collegiate career at Nevada before transferring to 糖心Vlog官方 M膩noa in the fall. She opened the season by allowing three hits against SeattleU, then followed with seven strikeouts while giving up four hits against Pacific.

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As the director of human resources at Young Brothers, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa alumna Shannon Lum doesn鈥檛 just manage teams—she connects people, communities and purpose across the state. With a deep belief in compassionate leadership and a foundation built at Shidler, she鈥檚 helping move what matters most in Hawaiʻi.

In her statewide role, Lum works with employees, union leaders and local stakeholders across all islands, guided by the values of empathy, accountability and integrity.

“Over time, I鈥檝e learned that impactful leadership comes from supporting and empowering others,” she said. “It鈥檚 not about having all the answers but creating space for others to grow, speak up and lead.”

Lum said a big part of her evolution came after becoming a mother to 3-year-old Emi. Her daughter has taught her that being a role model to a child strengthens her as a leader across all areas of her life. She now understands the influence that home and work have on each other, and this awareness reminds her to lead with grace, flexibility and humanity.

Lum earned both her undergraduate and graduate degrees from Shidler and said that her time at the helped her to see systems and service from a broader lens. Later in graduate school, her time in the master of human resource management helped her to pivot into human resources leadership.

Lessons from the field

Outside of the classroom, Lum played first base on the 糖心Vlog官方 Mānoa softball team. As a student-athlete, Lum had long days on campus and her time was split between athletics and academics. Playing college softball taught the former Rainbow Wahine that no one wins alone, and success is a team effort. Lum says that with her long days, having structure helped her to build discipline and resilience. She also learned to ask for help and rely on mentors, which is a habit she took with her into the workforce.

Lum shared that Young Brothers believes in investing in Hawaiʻi鈥檚 future. Since 2006, in partnership with Saltchuck Giving Hawaiʻi, the company has funded scholarships at Shidler, 糖心Vlog官方 Mānoa鈥檚 College of Engineering and Honolulu Community College, with more than $562,000 awarded to students.

“Supporting higher education means creating opportunity,” she said. “It means ensuring that local students have a pathway to thrive right here at home.”

For the entire story and more stories like this, .

Three University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo student-athletes earned the College Sports Communicators Academic All-District honors.

Madi Lee, Madison Rabe and Lexie Tilton were awarded for their combined excellence on the field and in the classroom.

Honorees must have a 3.5 GPA or higher, sophomore standing or above and meet competition criteria.

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Panita Thanatharn has been selected as the fourth head coach of the , acting athletics director Lois Manin announced.

Thanatharn replaces Bob Coolen, who coached the Rainbow Wahine for 34 seasons and retired following the 2025 season.

“We are thrilled to welcome Panita to our athletics ʻohana,” Manin said. “She has a deep passion for the game and the competitive spirit to build a winning culture. We are confident that her integrity-based leadership and unmatched work ethic will inspire our student-athletes to grow on and off the field. She brings excitement to the future of our softball program.”

“I am so pumped and honored to be the head softball coach at the University of Hawaiʻi at M膩noa,” Thanatharn said. “I鈥檓 grateful for the trust and confidence, and I鈥檓 looking forward to the journey ahead! I can鈥檛 wait to meet the team and learn about them and their families. Academically, Hawaiʻi is one of the top universities in the world, and paired with its breathtaking beauty, I鈥檓 confident we鈥檒l attract outstanding student-athletes who are just exceptional off the field as they are on it. I鈥檓 ready to get to work and start building relationships and am committed to winning in the classroom, in the community, and on the field. Let鈥檚 go 鈥楤ows!”

Thanatharn spent 16 seasons in two stints at Long Beach State, where she has served as associate head coach since 2016. She began her coaching career with the Beach in 2008 as director of operations/assistant coach before joining UNLV鈥檚 coaching staff as assistant coach. She returned to Long Beach State in 2011 and has served as the primary recruiter and hitting coach as well as handling all administrative duties and the conditioning program.

In 18 seasons as an assistant coach, Thanatharn has been a part of nine NCAA Regional teams鈥攅ight with Long Beach State and one with UNLV—and five Big West championship teams.

A four-year letterwinner for the Beach, Thanatharn earned the school鈥檚 Todd Hart Courage Award in 2003 and was honorable mention all-Big West in 2007. She still holds the school record for most hits in a game. Following her senior season, she was one of 20 finalists for the Lowe鈥檚 Senior Class Award, presented annually to a senior softball player who excels both on and off the field.

Thanatharn double-majored at Long Beach State in exercise science and sport psychology and coaching in 2006 and earned a master鈥檚 in kinesiology with an option in sports management from Long Beach State in 2008.

For more on Thanatharn, visit the .

Five members of the University of Hawaiʻi at M膩noa were named to the on May 27 in recognition of their performances on the field and in the classroom.

Amelia “Millie” Fidge, Carys Murakami, Milan Ah Yat, Macy Brandl and Jamie McGaughey represented the Rainbow Wahine on the Division I list.

Requirements:

• Minimum 3.50 cumulative grade-point average
• Must have participated in at least 90% of the season’s games or started in 66% of the games
• Pitchers must have made at least 17 appearances or pitched 35 innings

Academic All-District honorees are considered for advancement to the ballot and winners will be announced on June 17.

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University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo senior shortstop Jayda Favela was named to the Division II Conference Commissioners Association All-West Region Second Team.

Favela ranked among the region鈥檚 top players in several categories, including:

• No. 2 in assists per game (2.82)
• No. 6 in batting average (.423)
• No. 6 in stolen bases (22)
• No. 7 in assists (138)
• No. 7 in on-base percentage (.470)
• No. 8 in runs (47)
• Tied for No. 5 in hits (77)

She was one of seven PacWest athletes selected and was previously named to the All-PacWest First Team. Favela ends her career as 糖心Vlog官方 Hilo鈥檚 all-time leader in stolen bases with 77.

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