MESA, Ariz. » No single position player has made bigger strides from last season than Hawaii junior Pi‘ikea Kitamura.
For that reason, Kitamura was selected as UH’s lone representative to the All-Western Athletic Conference first team on Tuesday night.
“It really has to do with last year and the year that I had and that was my fuel,” said Kitamura, who hit .208 as a sophomore. “I’ve said all along I wanted to get my mind right and my body right and it’s hard to play this game without confidence.
“It feels good to see all the hard work pay off, but I also want to win this tournament and even though it’s a nice personal achievement, I want to be hoisting that trophy at the end of the weekend.”
UH’s starting shortstop raised his average exactly 100 points from last season, hitting .308 with a team-high 61 hits, eight doubles and 28 RBIs.
He’s one of four UH players to start all 53 games this season and has also been an instrumental leader off the field.
“I think it’s well-deserved for Pi‘ikea and he’s had a good year in all phases, offensively and defensively,” Hawaii coach Mike Trapasso said. “He’s been our team leader and he’s been the heart and soul of our team this year.”
Three Rainbows were selected to the second team, including senior outfielder Zack Swasey, who was a first-team selection a year ago.
Senior third baseman Collin Bennett, who set WAC tournament records with 13 hits and seven doubles in 2010, and right-handed pitcher Matt Sisto also made the second team.
Swasey hit .284 with a team-leading 10 doubles and 11 stolen bases.
Bennett, who played in the outfield the past two seasons, led the team with a .326 average and 32 RBIs.
Sisto, who is third all-time at UH with 55 career starts, won a career-high eight games, going 8-3 with a 3.03 ERA and only 11 walks in 89 innings.
Sacramento State took home most of the top honors. Second-year coach Reggie Christiansen was named coach of the year after winning a share of the regular-season title just a year after finishing last.
Second baseman Andrew Ayers was named player of the year and outfielder Rhys Hoskins was freshman of the year. Nevada sophomore Bradey Shipley was named pitcher of the year.
Kamehameha alumnus Kewby Meyer made the second team. He hit .333 for Nevada this season. He was one of two freshmen to make the second team.
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Western Athletic Conference awards
Player of the year—Andrew Ayers, Jr., 2B, Sacramento State
Pitcher of the year—Bradey Shipley, So., Nevada
Freshman of the year—Rhys Hoskins, Fr., OF, Sacramento State
Coach of the year—Reggie Christiansen, Sacramento State
First Team
OF—Aaron Judge, So., Fresno State; Brooks Klein, Jr., Nevada; Tanner Waite, Sr., New Mexico State; Justin Higley, So., Sacramento State.
2B—Andrew Ayers, Jr., Sacramento State
SS—Pi’ikea Kitamura, Jr., Hawaii; Ryan Gebhardt, So., Louisiana Tech; Zack Voight, Sr., New Mexico State.
C—Carlos Escobar Jr., Jr, Nevada; Zac Fisher, Jr., New Mexico State; Derrick Chung, Sr., Sacramento State.
DH—Kenny Wise, Sr., Fresno State.
SP—Bradey Shipley, So., Nevada; Tom Jameson, Jr., Nevada; Adam Mott, Jr., New Mexico State.
RP—Scott Coffman, Sr., New Mexico State.
Second Team
OF—Zack Swasey, Sr., Hawaii; Rhys Hoskins, Fr., Sacramento State.
1B—Trent Garrison, Jr., Fresno State; Alex Williams, Sr., Louisiana Tech; Kewby Meyer, Fr., Nevada; Tanner Rust, So., New Mexico State.
2B—Pat Hutcheson, Sr., Fresno State; Parker Hipp, Jr., New Mexico State.
3B—Jake Alvarez, So., Fresno State; Collin Bennett, Sr., Hawaii.
DH—Trevor Paine, Sr., Sacramento State.
SP—Justin Haley, Jr., Fresno State; Tom Harlan, Sr., Fresno State; Matt Sisto, Sr., Hawaii; Dallas Chadwick, So., Sacramento State.
RP—Jamie Gilley, Jr., Louisiana Tech.
