HILO, Hawai'i – The Hawai'i Hilo women's basketball team garnered 56 points to land at a tie for the No. 7 spot in the 2022-23 Pacific West Conference Preseason Coaches Poll released Thursday afternoon.
The Vulcans tied with Fresno Pacific for the seventh spot.
Hawai'i Hilo finished last season with an 11-8 conference record for a No. 6 placement before falling to Academy of Art in the quarterfinal round of the PacWest Championships. Six newcomers replaced six departures from a season ago.
Senior guard Mandi Kawaha (Hilo, Hawai'i/Hilo HS) was voted to the All-PacWest Preseason Team after claiming first-team honors a season ago. Head coach David Kaneshiro was also awarded as PacWest Coach of the Year.
Reigning champion Azusa Pacific was voted at the top spot with junior guard Paige Uyehara named as Preseason Player of the Year.
Hawai'i Hilo begins its season Sunday, Nov. 13 against Montana State Billings at the Afook-Chinen Civic Auditorium.
2022 PacWest Women's Basketball Preseason Coaches Poll
| NO. |
SCHOOL |
TOTAL PTS |
2021-22 RECORD |
| 1 |
Azusa Pacific |
119 pts |
No. 1 (17-2) |
| 2 |
Dominican |
94 pts |
No. 2 (15-5) |
| 3 |
Concordia University Irvine |
91 pts |
No. 4 (14-6) |
| 4 |
Biola |
83 pts |
No. 5 (13-7) |
| 5 |
Point Loma Nazarene |
82 pts |
No. 7 (9-11) |
| 6 |
Academy of Art |
66 pts |
No. 3 (13-5) |
| T7 |
Hawai'i Hilo |
56 pts |
No. 6 (11-8) |
| T7 |
Fresno Pacific |
56 pts |
No. 8 (6-12) |
| 9 |
Hawai'i Pacific |
36 pts |
No. 9 (6-14) |
| 10 |
Chaminade |
29 pts |
No. 10 (0-16) |
| 11 |
Holy Names |
14 pts |
No. 11 (0-18) |
2022 All-PacWest Women's Basketball Preseason Awards
Player of the Year
Paige Uyehara | G | Jr. | Azusa Pacific
2022 All-PacWest Women's Basketball Preseason Team
| POS |
NAME |
SCHOOL |
YEAR |
2021-22 All-PacWest Honors |
| G |
Paige Uyehara |
Azusa Pacific |
Junior |
First Team |
| G |
Mandi Kawaha (Hilo, Hawai'i/Hilo HS) |
Hawai'i Hilo |
Senior |
First Team |
| G |
Alex Lowden |
Azusa Pacific |
Senior |
Third Team |
| G |
Jasmine Rachal |
Concordia University Irvine |
Senior |
Second Team |
| G |
Katie Timmerman |
Concordia University Irvine |
Senior |
Third Team |
| F |
Alisha Wilson |
Academy of Art |
Sophomore |
Second Team |
