Sports

Struggling volleyball team at 1-4 start

Their final season of volleyball was not what seniors Barbara Martin and Melissa Sekigawa expected. After struggling for their first conference victory and every point was a battle. The match was evenly fought as UH-Hilo prevailed in games 1 and 3 and HPU took games 2 and 4. The Vulcans dominated game 5 early, leading by as much as 10-3, but the Lady Sea Warriors rallied to tie the game 12-12. After a Vulcan block, UH-Hilo’s Taina Savage ended the nearly three-hour match by putting away a pair of quick kills to win the game 15-12. [More]

The HPU women’s volleyball team is starting to produce wins after struggling through a disappointing early season.

Courtesy HPU Athletics

Never underestimate skinny
HPU men take top honors at Hilo

Much as objects in your rear view mirror are closer than they appear, the HPU cross country Team is stronger than it appears. At first glance, one might assume that these lanky, uncoordinated frames could only be good for making suspenders look good. However, each member of the men’s and women’s teams showed great strength and power over the six-kilometer course at the University of Hawai‘i-Hilo, and all displayed tremendous heart and perseverance. [More]

Todd Icovelli takes first place at Hilo.

Courtesy HPU Athletics

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Student athletes recognized at pep rally

by Brittany Ross, News Writing

Fort Street Mall was bustling with activity on Sept. 15 with students who came to show support for HPU’s student athletes at the school’s Club Carnival pep rally.

The event was co-hosted by Jarnett Lono, assistant director of Student Life, and Jill Ward, director of athletics. The HPU Band, under the direction of Dr. Theresa McCreary, kicked off the pep rally, along with a performance by the cheer and dance teams.

The University’s Cheer Team, fresh off its fourth straight national championship, performed first. Chelsea Ross, a second-year member of the large Co-ed Cheer Team, said, “We have a lot of talent on our team this year, and we are all very excited to uphold our traditions, and continue to represent HPU to the best of our ability.”

“This is the first year for HPU to have guys on their dance team, and I am very excited for the opportunity to be part of such an amazing program,” said Josh Seaton, a first-year member of the Dance Team.

Following the performances, Ward introduced the student body to the coaches of the HPU fall sports teams: Christian Friis (Men’s and Women’s Cross Country); Mark Kane (Women’s Soccer); Frank Doyle (Men’s Soccer); Daryl Kapis (Women’s Volleyball); Liz O’Brien (Women’s Basketball); and Darren Vorderbruegge (Men’s Basketball).

Some of the players introduced themselves as well.

“I wasn’t expecting this to be going on in between my classes,” said Mikey Teeling, a first-year student at HPU, “but it was a nice surprise, and cool to meet all the teams.”

Lono thanked all of the students for coming out and asked for their continued support. The event ended with the HPU fight song.

Men’s soccer ready for DII

A “monumental move” is how HPU Head Soccer Coach Frank Doyle described the return of HPU men’s soccer to the National Collegiate Athletic Association Pacific West Division II. [More]

Left to right. Back row:
Gabe Sugar, Andre Whitt,
Matt Terry, Mike King,
Christian Nilsson, Michael
DeCaires, Christian
Clemente, Viktor Rafstedt,
Preston Sims. Front Row:
Jim Terry, Aki Adachi, Max
Anton, James Gawel, A.J.
Koenig, Matt Martinez,
Devin Loughlin.

Photo by Jeff Harada

Women’s soccer also joins Pac- West Conference

After four years of competing at club level, the HPU Women’s Soccer Team joined the PacWest Conference this school year. [More]

Mark Kane

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