Chaminade University of Honolulu

Search

Athletics

Women’s Soccer Team Spends Valentine’s Day with Veterans

by

What better way to spend Valentine’s Day than by showing some gratitude and care for those who have served our country? Several of our women’s soccer team members did just that.

Students Cierra Toledo-Muragin, Rachel Arakawa and Randi Fontes spent their Valentine’s Day visiting with hospitalized veterans at the Tripler Army Medical Center.

“My grandpa is a veteran and I know how much he enjoys talking about his life when he was in the army,” says Toledo-Muragin, a third-year nursing student from Hilo. “I really enjoyed spending Valentine’s Day with veterans who do not have any family here.”

The students first met with Carlos Santana, a community liaison from Mazie Hirono’s Office, who taught them about the importance of veterans in our community. They then spent time visiting with medics from Desert Storm and Vietnam who shared practical information and a wealth of stories.

“They were so nice and supportive and emphasized the importance of getting an education,” says Toledo-Muragin. “They were proud of us for being student-athletes and motivated us to keep going and to accomplish our goals.”

They Put the Student in Student-Athlete

by

Chaminade University placed a record-93 Silverswords on the Academic All-Pacific West Conference Team, the conference announced Monday.

It’s the second straight year and the third time in the last four that Chaminade has broken its record of academic all-conference honorees. All 10 of the department’s athletic teams had at least 57 percent of their rosters attain Academic All-PacWest honors.

For large roster sports (11 or more student-athletes), women’s volleyball placed 13 of its 14 rostered players eligible for academic all-conference kudos on the team while women’s soccer had 18 of its 23 eligible players make the list.

For small roster sports (10 or less), women’s cross country attained perfection. All six of their runners who were eligible for academic all-conference honors made the list. Men’s cross country (six on the roster), and men’s golf (6) had all but one qualify.

A total of 1,804 student-athletes in the conference were named Academic All-PacWest, breaking the conference record set last year.

To be recognized as Academic All-PacWest, student-athletes must have a minimum career grade point average of 3.00, have completed two semesters at their current institution and competed in at least one regular season game or competition. Chaminade competes in 10 of the conference’s 15 sponsored sports.

Congratulations to all our student-athletes who was named to the Academic All-Pacific West Conference Team!

Groundbreaking Ceremony for New State of the Art Training Center and Locker Rooms

by

On Friday, April 27 over 100 attendees, including faculty, staff, students, and donors, gathered together at the Mauka of McCabe Gym to celebrate the groundbreaking of the new Silversword Athletic Training Center and Locker Rooms. This groundbreaking represents the beginning of the second and final phase of facility enhancements to the university’s athletics program.

Whether it is starting practice before sunrise or staying at games late into the night, student athletes excel in commitment, dedication and hard work. Student athletes must keep up on their studies and maintain their fitness levels, all while balancing a travel schedule for away games. Student athletes deserve safe facilities which help them not only meet, but excel their goals. The new Silversword Athletic Training Center and Locker Rooms will provide student athletes and visiting teams with a state of the art facility for training, playing and recovering.

During the groundbreaking ceremony men’s soccer student athlete, Avinash Singh, shared his thoughts on and appreciation for the new facility as well as Chaminade’s Athletics department, “I thank you for your support. I know that we might not always see the many ways that you cheer us on, but this locker room is more than just a building. It is a physical display of your dedication to us.”

The new Silversword Athletics Training Center and Locker Rooms will provide future students with a new and safe place to store their things, prepare for class after practice, train, and play. It will allow the Chaminade University Athletics Department to continue to grow and flourish.

Home to 10 NCAA athletic teams and over 140 student-athletes, Chaminade prides itself on an outstanding athletic department and understands the value of athletics beyond just the physical.

“Intercollegiate athletics is an important component of the student experience at Chaminade,” said President Dr. Lynn Babington during the groundbreaking ceremony. “As a Marianist, Catholic institution, we value the development of the whole person and athletics creates the opportunity for our students to not only excel in sports, but learn teamwork and leadership and provide school spirit to the campus.”

The new 6,500-square-foot facility is expected to be completed in Spring 2019.

Watch the KITV News coverage.

 
  • Athletics Training Center and Locker Rooms floor plan
  • Groundbreaking Ceremony for New State of the Art Training Center and Locker Rooms

Athletics Gala Celebrates its 10th Year

by

Chaminade University’s Annual Intercollegiate Athletics Gala hit its decade year on March 15 and was a night 600 attendees won’t soon forget. Family, friends, colleagues, student-athletes and university supporters gathered at the Sheraton Waikiki Hotel to honor the 2018 Silversword Hall of Fame inductees – Dr. Edison H. Miyawaki and Bill Villa.

In the hotel’s Hawaii Ballroom, guests could be heard chatting with enthusiasm before the program started. Emcee Felipe Ojastro welcomed guests and started the high-spirited program by introducing the honorees. The crowd gave a standing ovation as each made his way to the stage.

Following the initial introductions and Hawaiian ‘oli “He Mele No Kaminaka,” the evening’s program began with dinner and entertainment. Chaminade President Dr. Lynn Babington gave remarks congratulating the two honorees as well as thanking guests for their continuous support of Chaminade and its athletics program. Women’s softball’s Kaitlin Kim ’18 also took the stage sharing her experiences as a student-athlete and how generous contributors help provide a word-class education with a robust athletics experience.

Next was the main event, the induction of new members into the Silversword Hall of Fame: Dr. Edison Miyawaki and Bill Villa.

Dr. Edison K. Miyawaki, Jr. and Kawika Villa introduced their fathers to those in attendance. Both sons shared special memories of their fathers and how their love for sports and Chaminade has help build the athletics program to where it is today.

Dr. Miyawaki – known as “Doc” – is the driving force behind the Intercollegiate Athletic Gala. Under his direction, he created the event in 2008 when he joined Chaminade’s Board of Regents. Since then, the event has raised over $1.5 million for student-athletes and programming. Dr. Miyawaki is the president of Pali Corp. and was the first Japanese-American to become part owner of an NFL team. He’s put the same energy and commitment into philanthropy as his career, establishing scholarships for young athletes attending NFL training camps and leading education-centered capital projects.

Born and raised in Honolulu, Villa grew up a multi-sport athlete. He played for Kamehameha Schools Kapālama and the University of Hawaii. His love of sports led him to become the athletics director at Assets School and then Mid-Pacific Institute. In 2008, he was named the first full-time director of athletics at Chaminade. He’s worked tirelessly to expand the program, improve and modernize facilities, recruit top-notch coaching, training and leadership staff and launch the annual Chaminade Golf Tournament athletics scholarship fundraiser.

The athletics gala program concluded with the honorees being presented a Pahi Kaua Sword, crafted from the bill of a swordfish by alumnus Umi Kai ’73, and  Dr. Miyawaki and Villa both expressing their gratitude.

Dr. Miyawaki thanked everyone who has supported Chaminade over the years as well as those who helped make the Athletics Gala a success saying he could not be more proud of what the event has accomplished over the past decade. Crediting his father for instilling values of hard work and determination, Dr. Miyawaki enjoys believing in something that no one else believes can be done. He recognized his family, his son who along with his wife and granddaughter traveled from Missouri to celebrate his induction, and closed with saying that Chaminade is a special place because of the people.

Like Dr. Miyawaki, Villa appreciates the many opportunities given to him along his career path. He  urged student-athletes to put in the hard work and earn from experiences to thrive in the community. “You just need a chance like I was given to succeed, and with that chance amazing things can happen,” he said. Villa ended by thanking Dr. Miyawaki for being a “visionary and someone he will forever cherish as a friend.”

The annual Athletics Gala is instrumental to the success of Chaminade’s athletics program and its student-athletes. This year’s event set a new contribution record, raising over $300,000, supporting its 10 sports programs and over 140 student-athletes.

Building Great Athletes Start With Great Attitude and Mental Toughness

by

Success in athletics is as much about the brain as it is about the body.

And sometimes, the body takes a back seat.

That was the message sports psychology consultant and life skills coach Jim Skelton had for student-athletes and their coaches during two, three-hour presentations last month.

Skelton, highly-regarded in the field, has worked with a long list of collegiate and professional teams — from the Cleveland Indians to California State University — and addressed the Chaminade community as it bolsters athletics programming and facilities.

Jim SkeltonDuring Skelton’s Feb. 14 talk with student-athletes, Skelton delved into everything from championship culture to developing an “amazing attitude” to sticking to habits of excellence.

Nina Torio, who plays volleyball for the Silverswords, said she walked away from the presentation with a new appreciation for mental fitness in sports.

Torio, a business administration major on track to graduate in 2020, said she was especially intrigued by Skelton’s description of the “process” of building great athletes and teams.

Her takeaway: Successful athletes aren’t born — they’re made (thanks to lots of practice).

“The message that Jim talked about that resonated in me the most was the importance of the mental game,” she said. “Sometimes, the biggest battle and obstacle can be within ourselves — negative thoughts, doubts, an ‘I can’t do this’ mentality.’”

But Skelton, she said, encouraged attendees to establish — and practice maintaining — positive mental routines and habits.

“If we practice positive thinking and a ‘bounce back’ attitude, nothing can stop us from reaching the goals we set for ourselves,” Torio said, adding that Skelton’s points on the importance of character (and character building) in sports weren’t lost on her, either.

“Many of the things we learn from our respective sports can translate to the real world,” she said. “Teamwork, a strong mindset, and culture building are incredible life skills and qualities. It is up to me to shift from old habits and create a new standard of thinking and focus.”

While Skelton has worked with top collegiate and professional teams, he’s quick to point out that his interest in athletics has never simply been about elite sports. Rather, his passion lies in helping those from all different backgrounds and skill levels get real joy from competition.

One of his favorite quotes, after all, is from Nelson Mandela: “Sport has the power to change the world. It has the power to inspire. It has the power to unite people in a way that little else does.”

Kaitlin Kim, an elementary education student set to graduate in December, can appreciate that.

During Skelton’s student-athlete session, she said, she got some new tools to help her get through particularly stressful games or plays — including a handy breathing exercise — and a new understanding of when to push hard and when to let things go.

She plays softball for Chaminade.

And that’s a sport, she said, that’s “95 percent mental and 5 percent physical.”

“I liked (Skelton’s message) that we can control things that are in our control,” Kim said, “and to not get upset over things that are not in our control.”

Things, she added (a bit mischievously), like umpire strike zones and questionable calls.

Hot 3-Point Shooting Propels Chaminade to Historic Upset Over Cal Bears in Maui Jim Maui Invitational

by

When a Division II college basketball team takes on a Division I squad, the result is usually predictable. But not so this year at the 34th annual Maui Jim Maui Invitational, held Nov. 20-22 in Lahaina.

2017 Maui InvitationalCompeting for seventh place in the nationally televised preseason tournament, the Chaminade University men’s team upset highly favored Berkeley in a 96-72 rout. It was the eighth all-time win for the Silverswords in their signature tourney and biggest-ever margin of triumph over a Division I school.

“The victory over Cal is really special for us for a variety of reasons,” said Silversword head coach Eric Bovaird, whose team’s overall record is 8-92 in the tournament.

“A win over a Pac-12 school is huge,” Bovaird said. “The exposure for a victory like that has huge impact for us recruiting wise for the future and hopefully adds name recognition for other potential students here at Chaminade.

“With a win like that, we know we can compete with anyone in the country if we play to our capability.”

Along with increasing his team’s confidence, beating the Cal Golden Bears also “puts a huge target on our back,” Bovaird said.

“Every team we play now wants to be the team that beat the team that beat Cal,” he said.

Chaminade began the tournament with an 83-56 loss to No. 13 Notre Dame, then fell 102-64 to the University of Michigan in the consolation semifinals.

2017 Maui InvitationalAgainst Cal, the Silverswords built an early lead behind the hot shooting of senior guard Dantley Walker, who finished with a career-high seven three-pointers and career-best 23 points. Junior forward Erik Scheive came off the bench to score 14 points, while junior forward Brett Reed and senior point guard Austin Pope tallied 12 points each.

As a team, Chaminade shot 55.6 percent (35-of-63) from the floor, compared to 42.4 percent (28-of-66) for Cal. The Silverswords outrebounded the Bears 42-36 and led in assists 22-6.

The Maui Jim tournament debuted in 1984 after Chaminade scored one of the most dramatic upsets in college basketball two years earlier by stunning No. 1 University of Virginia.

This latest version of the competition was won by Notre Dame in a 67-66 nailbiter over Wichita State. Marquette finished third with an impressive 94-84 win against Louisiana State, and Michigan took fifth by beating Virginia Commonwealth 68-60.

Starting with the 2018 tournament, the Silverswords will only play on Maui every other year.