The University of Hawai’i at Hilo recently held their annual UH Hilo Vulcans Athletics 2023–24 All-Sports Banquet at The Arc of Hilo. This event was organized to recognize the outstanding achievements of the university’s student-athletes.
During the banquet, several awards were presented, including the male and female athletes of the year. This year, men’s golf player Nicholas Gomez and women’s golf player Kiersten Saludares were honored for their impressive performances on the field. The men’s golf team was also named the Vulcan Team of the Year for their outstanding performance throughout the season.
A new award, known as the Imua Vulcan award, was introduced to honor one male and one female student-athlete who have shown remarkable progress in their personal athletic journeys. This year, men’s basketball player Kalique Mitchell and women’s soccer player Megan Donovan received this prestigious award.
In addition to these awards, two scholarships were presented to student-athletes who have achieved academic excellence while also excelling in their respective sports. Men’s soccer player David Mayser was recognized as the Joe and Harriet Estrella Male Scholar-Athlete, while women’s soccer player Filippa Graneld received the Sakai and Harue Wakakuwa Female Scholar-Athlete award. These scholarships are given to student-athletes with a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.5 through at least five semesters as a Vulcan.
Finally, two teams were recognized for their academic excellence during the Ramon Goya Academic Teams of the Year awards ceremony. The women’s cross country team achieved a combined GPA of 3.67 or higher, while the women’s basketball team achieved a combined GPA of 3.5 or higher through at least five semesters as a Vulcan.
For a full list of honorees and more information about these awards, visit HiloAthletics.com
