Big West softball coaches voted Hawaii third in the conference’s preseason poll released Friday — matching the team’s finish in last year’s standings — and sophomore pitcher Brianna Lopez was named to the inaugural preseason coaches’ team.
The Rainbow Wahine received 59 points in the poll of the league’s 10 coaches to place behind defending champion Cal State Fullerton (80 points) and Long Beach State (68). Cal State Fullerton received eight first-place votes, with one each going to Long Beach State and Cal Poly, which placed sixth in the poll.
UH finished 23-19 overall and 17-10 in Big West play last spring, including a late-season sweep of Cal State Fullerton. Lopez went 14-8 as a freshman, ranked third in the conference with a 2.07 earned-run average and was named to the All-Big West first team.
UH opens the season with the three-day Paradise Classic starting Friday at Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium. UH will have doubleheaders with Utah Tech and Saint Mary’s all three days.
UH water polo team routs San Diego State
Emma Van Rossum scored three goals and five other Hawaii players contributed two each in the fifth-ranked Rainbow Wahine water polo team’s 18-8 rout of No. 21 San Diego State on Friday in the Triton Invitational in La Jolla, Calif.
Van Rossum scored twice in the fourth quarter and a total of 12 players tallied at least one goal in the match as the Wahine improved to 6-0 entering today’s game against No. 8 Fresno State.
Antolin sets record in 200 meters
Hawaii’s Alyssa Mae Antolin set a program record in the 200 meters at the WSU Open in Spokane, Wash., besting her own record set last season.
Antolin clocked a time of 24.10, shattering the mark she set in December at the same venue in her third-place finish. Antolin ran a time of 24.38 last season. Antolin now owns four of the five fastest times in the 200m in UH history.
Lilian Turban also reached the podium at the WSU Open, placing second in the high jump with a height of 5 feet, 10.75 inches.
