HILO, Hawai'i – Hawai'i Hilo Athletics hosted the inaugural VESPYs Awards at today at Sangha Hall to honor student-athletes, teams and supporters across all 12 varsity sports.

It was the first end-of-the-year awards event put together by the Hawai'i Hilo Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) with help from co-advisors Melanie Brokaw and Kimberly Kamei. The name is a nod to ESPN's The ESPYS Awards (Excellence in Sports Performance Yearly) and replaces the All-Sports Banquet.

Men's Soccer was named Vulcan Team of the Year after making history by making its first NCAA postseason appearance in program history while earning a NCAA Super Region 4 First Round victory over Western Oregon. Koki Hamada was selected as Male Athlete of the Year.

Women's Volleyball's Malu Garcia was named Female Athlete of the Year.

The VESPYs also debuted the Vulcan Legacy Award, honoring four-year student-athletes for their overall contributions and impact. The inaugural recipients were Hamada and Lexie Tilton of softball.

Tilton and Dylan Bercan (men's golf) served as senior speakers while Brandon Wada (baseball) and Kaile Cruz (women's basketball) were the evening's masters of ceremonies.

2025-26 HAWAI'I HILO VESPYS AWARDS

VULCAN TEAM OF THE YEAR
Men's Soccer

FEMALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR
Malu Garcia, Women's Volleyball

MALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR
Koki Hamada, Men's Soccer

SAKAI AND HARUE WAKAKUWA FEMALE SCHOLAR-ATHLETE
Emerson Reinke, Women's Volleyball

JOE AND HARRIET ESTRELLA MALE SCHOLAR-ATHLETE
Brandon Wada, Baseball

SCHOLAR-ATHLETES
Baseball: Brandon Wada
Men's Basketball: Telryn Villa
Women's Basketball: Kaile Cruz
Women's Cross Country: Isabel Raymond
Men's Golf: Noah Otani
Women's Golf: Elle Otani
Men's Soccer: Palli Ingvason
Women's Soccer: Haley Clark
Softball: Lexie Tilton
Men's Tennis: Jaime Paquet
Women's Tennis: Mila Srebro
Women's Volleyball: Emerson Reinke

RAMON GOYA ACADEMIC TEAMS OF THE YEAR
Individual Sport: Women's Golf
Team Sport: Women's Soccer

IMUA VULCAN AWARD
Mindy Kawaha, Women's Basketball

VULCAN LEGACY AWARD
Koki Hamada, Men's Soccer
Lexie Tilton, Softball

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT / SERVICE AWARD
Women's Soccer

SERVICE / VOLUNTEER AWARD
Scott Saft, Women's Basketball Volunteer Assistant Coach

PONO VULCAN AWARDS
Baseball: Brandon Wada
Men's Basketball: Julio Montes II
Women's Basketball: Noelle Su'a-Godinet
Women's Cross Country: Isabel Raymond
Men's Golf: Jordan Sato
Women's Golf: Elle Otani
Men's Soccer: Aidan Santos
Women's Soccer: Valeria Da Silva
Softball: Lexie Tilton
Men's Tennis: David Krnavek
Women's Tennis: Lehua Jordan
Women's Volleyball: Emerson Reinke