HILO, Hawai'i – After repeating as Pacific West Conference Champions and earning back-to-back conference Coach of the Year honors, the Hawai'i Hilo women's soccer team can also add West Region Staff of the Year as announced last Friday by the United Soccer Coaches.

Hawai'i Hilo went unbeaten in the regular season on the way to repeating as Pacific West Conference Champions and hosting a NCAA Division II West Regional. The Vulcans finished at 13-1-3 with an exit in the West Region Second Round.

"We are very thankful as a staff to receive this recognition. We know there are tons of awesome coaching staffs in our region that are very deserving of this award, so we are humbled to have received this award from our peers," Hawai'i Hilo head coach Gene Okamura said. "To our own staff, I am very happy that they are being recognized. Our assistants are very dedicated and committed to our student-athletes. None of our success this season or throughout the years would be possible without each and every one of our staff members!"

In addition to Okamura '10, the Vulcans coaching staff is comprised of assistants Jordan Zand and Landon Salvador '14 along with Paul Regrutto, George Ichimaru '10, Chloe Nishioka '14 and Keani Shirai '17.

In his seventh season, Okamura reached career win No. 50 with a 3-0 bout against Biola on Oct. 22.

HAWAI'I HILO WOMEN'S SOCCER COACHES ARE YOUR 2022 UNITED SOCCER COACHES NCAA DIVISION II WEST REGION STAFF OF THE YEAR #ImuaVulcans 🌋 #D2WSOC pic.twitter.com/bcMkIYGKfd

— Hawaii Hilo Vulcans Athletics (@HiloVulcans) December 5, 2022

United Soccer Coaches

Founded in 1941 and based in Kansas City, Missouri, United Soccer Coaches has grown into the world's largest soccer coaches' organization that serves members at every level of the game.

Each of the 52 (26 men's and 26 women's) staffs receiving Region Staff of the Year honors will be recognized at the College Coaches Awards Ceremony at the United Soccer Coaches Convention on Thursday, Jan. 12, 2023, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

In addition, the Region Staff of the Year recipients will be placed on the ballot for United Soccer Coaches National Staff of the Year consideration within their respective NCAA division. National Staff of the Year voting opens December 7, 2022.