HILO, Hawai'i – The Hawai'i Hilo Men's Tennis team will have six new faces for its upcoming quest for the 2024 Pacific West Conference Championship this spring.
All six newcomers are incoming transfers with a wealth of experience to replace five departures from a season ago — five to graduation/eligibility exhaustion.
Five newcomers arrived to the Big Island from across international borders, making all but one of the team's 10 total players from outside the United States.
Boise State transfer Ryo Minakata and North Dakota transfer Cian McDonnell both landed in the first Intercollegiate Tennis Association Collegiate Rankings sponsored by Tennis-Point released last November, coming in at No. 37 and No. 50, respectively. Both were also ranked No. 4 and No. 9 in the West Regional Ranks. As a duo, they came in at No. 5 on the West Regional Doubles leader board.
The Vulcans return four from a season ago that saw Hawai'i Hilo finish seventh at the PacWest Conference Championship.
Hawai'i Hilo head coach Kallen Mizuguchi enters his sixth season in charge of both the men's and women's programs at his alma mater and will look to reclaim the conference title after last winning it all in 2021.
5'11 | Sr.-5 | London, England | Haberdashers' Aske's Knights Academy / Valdosta State + Tyler JC
» Spent two years at Valdosta State University (Georgia)
» Played in 28 singles (.643) and 28 doubles matches (.643) over two seasons with the Blazers, helping VSU to two NCAA South Regional appearances with a 2023 run through the Gulf South Conference to a finish as an NCAA National Championship Semifinalist
» 2022 All-Gulf South Conference Second Team, 2022 Gulf South Conference Freshman of the Week (x4)
» Spent two years at Tyler Junior College (Texas)
» Played half a season before the COVID-19 pandemic, finishing ranked No. 1 in both the final singles and doubles Oracle/ITA NJCAA National Rankings
» 2013 graduate of Haberdashers' Aske's Knights Academy (England)
Major: Psychology
Why Hawai'i Hilo: "I like the culture and team environment. "
5'7 | Jr. | New Taipei City, Taiwan | Taipei Municipal Jianguo HS / Western New Mexico
» Spent two years at Western New Mexico University
» Played in 36 singles and 34 doubles matches over two seasons with the Mustangs
» 2021 graduate of Taipei Municipal Jianguo HS (Taiwan)
» Played three seasons of varsity tennis
Major: Business Administration – Management
Why Hawai'i Hilo: "I feel like Hawai'i Hilo can provide me very good and very high level tennis and an academic environment. "
5'8 | Jr.-R | Mineral Bluff, GA | Georgia Connections Academy / Shorter
» Spent two years at Shorter University (Georgia) but did not play
» 2020 graduate of Georgia connections Academy
» Played two seasons of varsity tennis
Major: Business Administration – Marketing
Why Hawai'i Hilo: "I wanted a unique experience that is different from any other college in the United States. "
5'10 | Sr. | Belfast, Northern Ireland | North Dakota
» Spent three years at University of North Dakota
» Went 33-26 in singles and 31-20 in doubles matches over three seasons with the Fighting Hawks
» Summit League Peak Performer/Athlete of the Week (x3)
Major: Sociology
Why Hawai'i Hilo: ""
5'9 | Sr.-5 | Kobe, Japan | Hawai'i Prep Academy / Boise State + Tyler JC
» Spent two years at Boise State University (Idaho)
» Posted a 30-24 record in singles and 20-22 in doubles through two seasons with the Broncos. Led BSU his junior season with a team-best 12-4 singles record. Helped the Broncos capture the 2023 Mountain West Conference Championship.
» Spent two years at Tyler Junior College (Texas) playing for coach Dash Connell
» Captured three national titles in 2021 with the Apache, claiming individual wins in the NJCAA Flight Three Singles and NJCAA Flight Two Doubles.
» 2019 graduate of Hawai'i Preparatory Academy
» Played three seasons of varsity tennis for coach Brian Ji
» 2019 HHSAA Singles State Champion, Big Island Interscholastic Federation Singles Champion (x3), 2018 BIIF Champion
Major: Business Administration
Why Hawai'i Hilo: "Because of head coach Kallen Mizuguchi. "
5'7 | So. | Asturias, Spain | Tennessee Tech
» Spent one year at Tennessee Technological University
» Played in 24 singles and 16 doubles matches with the Golden Eagles, helping TTU to a Horizon League Tournament Runner-Up finish
Major: Mathematics
Why Hawai'i Hilo: "I was impressed by the good energy transmitted. All of it was good and everyone was happy here. Also, living in Hawai'i seems to be unbelievable due to its nature. "
