Vulcan shortstop Kiarra Lincoln was named to the All-Pacific West Conference Softball Team for the third time, headlining a group of seven UH Hilo players that were voted in by the league's coaches.

The All-PacWest squad is made up of members from all three sectional pods. UHH Second Team members are second baseman Darian Obara and pitcher Leah Gonzales. Named to the Third Team was pitcher Valerie Alvarado, catcher Markie Okamoto, third baseman Chloe Domingo and outfielder Vevesi Liilii. Domingo is a junior and the rest of the Vulcans are seniors.

Lincoln, who was a Second Team selection in 2018 and 2019, was selected to the First Team today. The senior is hitting .357 with ten doubles in 24 games and has just three errors on the season in 85 chances. She has had a hand in turning eight double plays on the season. Her batting average rose each season, from .308 her freshman year to .333 as a sophomore, .356 during the 2020 COVID season to .357 now. Her 37 career doubles is tied for second on the Vulcan all-time list and she has crossed the plate 124 times, also second on the UHH career runs scored list.

Obara earned Second Team honors in just her second season playing second base. She started as a freshman in left field, spent a year as a red-shirt and then started 11 games during the 2020 season as the second sacker. This year she hit .357 with 18 runs scored and a team-best 12 sacrifice bunts. She had just three errors all season in 115 chances, and had a part in ten double plays. Gonzales was an anchor over the back half of the regular season for the Vulcans, finishing with a 7-1 record and a PacWest-best 1.27 ERA. She didn't pitch her first game of 2021 until the Vulcans were six games into the schedule.

Okamoto hit .372 with 15 RBI, anchoring the catching position. She has started nearly every game for the Vulcans, either at catcher or DP, since arriving on campus in 2018. Alvarado posted a 4-3 record in the pitching circle with a 2.50 ERA, and she threw two shutouts including a two-hitter against Chaminade. She fanned nine batters in a game against Hawaii Pacific. Liilii hit .318 with eight doubles and a team-best 21 RBI. She played a near-flawless centerfield and threw out five base runners, most of them at home plate. Domingo hit .292 and drove in 14 runs while playing a solid third base. She had just one error in 66 chances. 

The Vulcans begin play tomorrow in the PacWest AQ Pod Series against Concordia and Dominican, squaring off with the Eagles first at 11 am at Penguin Field.

The PacWest Player of the Year, selected by the conference's coaches is Mckinsey Thorpe of Concordia. The Pitcher of the Year for the third season is Concordia's Callie Nunes. The Defensive Player of the Year is Cheyne Obara (Chaminade), the Newcomer of the Year is Concordia'a Kelsea Sweeney, the Freshman of the Year is Haley Randall of Academy of Art, and Biola's Nikki Udria was voted in as the Coach of the Year.

For a complete look at the All-PacWest Team, click here.