Hawaii’s Ricketts is a Senior CLASS finalist

Hawaii softball pitcher Stephanie Ricketts was selected as one of 10 finalists for the Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award.

To be eligible, a student-athlete must be classified as an NCAA Division I senior and have notable achievements in four areas — community, classroom, character and competition.

Nationwide, fan voting for the award has already begun. Fans can vote online at seniorclassaward.com.

Fan votes will be combined with media and Division I softball coaches votes to determine the winner.

Ricketts is 19-2 for the 31-3 Rainbow Wahine, with a 1.00 ERA in 1392⁄3 innings, seven shutouts and 158 strikeouts.

Ricketts is a member of the National Society of Collegiate Scholars and a two-time NFCA scholar-athlete.

She has volunteered at many organizations, working to help homeless families, mentally challenged individuals and nursing facility patients with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. In Hawaii, she has worked as a Special Olympics volunteer.

Hawaii Pacific adds women’s golf

Hawaii Pacific announced Wednesday it is adding women’s golf as a varsity sport starting in the 2012-13 school year.

Head coach Steven Lorick will lead the program, which will compete in the Pacific West Conference.

"We are pleased to be adding women’s golf to our already strong athletic department," HPU athletic director Darren Vorderbruegge said. "One thing we’re excited about is the opportunity this will provide for young women in Hawaii to compete collegiately in golf."

Hawaii trampoline athletes place in Tulsa

Hawaii’s Nani Vercruyssen placed second in synchronized trampoline with partner Savannah Vinsant of Louisiana in the U.S. Elite Championships in Tulsa, Okla., last weekend.

Vercruyssen also took fourth in double mini trampoline and fifth on individual trampoline. She also obtained an initial ranking of third among U.S. women for qualification to the London Olympics.

Zac Ceroli of Hawaii placed 10th on trampoline, while Hawaii’s Shane Doi took third on double mini trampoline.

Florence, Patacchia advance to third round

Hawaii’s John John Florence moved on to the third round of the Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach surf contest Wednesday in Australia.

Florence won his first-round heat, while Hawaii’s Fred Patacchia placed first in his second-round heat to also make it to the third round of the Association of Surfing Professionals World Tour event.

The contest continues today, conditions permitting.

Moore, Ho still in chase at Bells Beach

Hawaii’s Coco Ho beat Rebecca Woods in the second round of the Women’s Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach in Australia.

With the win, Ho moved into the third round of the Association of Surfing Professionals Women’s World Tour event, where she will go up against defending world champion Carissa Moore.

Hawaii’s Moore made it into the third round by beating two surfers from France, Pauline Ado and Justine Dupont, in the first round.