HONOLULU, Hawai'i – The Hawai'i Hilo Women's Soccer team has been chosen as the 2025-26 Pacific West Conference Women's Team Community Engagement Award winner announced yesterday (Aug. 5) at the annual Student-Athlete Advisory Committee retreat at Chaminade University of Honolulu.
The Hawai'i Hilo Women's Soccer team compiled an astounding 637.5 hours of community service this year. That service included activities on campus, at local schools and in the Hilo community.
In the community, the team participated in Malama 'Aina Day where they picked up trash and planted kalo. They served at the Merrie Monarch festival and Boo at the Zoo. They read to elementary students on Dr. Seuss Day, worked with the Special Olympics, Team IMPACT and the Unity Prom. On campus, the team helped with Campus Move-in Day and served at the School of Pharmacy and the EB DeSilva Health Fairs. On the soccer field, they helped run local tournaments at Waiakea High School, the Na Hoa Cup and the Mini Big Tournament.
"I am incredibly proud of our women's soccer program under the leadership of head coach Gene Okamura for earning the PacWest Conference Community Engagement award," said Vulcans athletics director Patrick Guillen. "Excellence at UH Hilo extends far beyond the pitch and this recognition highlights our student-athletes' dedication to giving back and making a meaningful impact throughout the community."
Hawai'i Hilo was also a winner of the PacWest Team Engagement Award for 2024-25.
"What was most rewarding was to observe the growth of our student-athletes over the course of the year," Okamura said. "They took initiative, demonstrated accountability and built meaningful relationships across all of these experiences. This strengthened the bond between our team and the Hilo community, reinforcing a sense of shared purpose and connection."
The Westmont Baseball team is the men's Team Community Engagement Award winner. Concordia's SAAC program is the PacWest SAAC Community Engagement Award winner, and they were also honored with the NCAA Division II Team IMPACT award.
