Parnaby continues Aussie tradition by earning national honors

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KRYSTLE MARCELLUS / KMARCELLUS@STARADVERTISER.COM
UH Wahine's Kaia Parnaby pitches against UC Santa Barbara in the 1st game of a double header on Saturday at the Wahine Rainbow Softball Stadium.

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Kaia Parnaby broke new ground while extending a tradition in her University of Hawaii softball career.

The left-hander put together the most prolific season in the program’s history this spring and earned third-team All-America honors from the National Fastpitch Coaches Association on Wednesday.

Parnaby became the 11th UH player recognized by the NFCA after adding to the program’s legacy of impact players from Australia.

"It wasn’t a target at the beginning of the season … and it’s just a huge honor to get that. I didn’t expect it," Parnaby said. "A lot of great players have come before us, so to be able to get it is really cool."

Parnaby led the nation in victories for much of her senior season and finished at 39-7, setting UH and Big West Conference single-season records for wins.

The Big West Pitcher of the Year and NFCA All-West Region first-team selection also established school and conference records with 342 strikeouts.

Prior to Parnaby’s landmark season, those records belonged to Brooke Wilkins, UH’s initial connection to Australia and the program’s first NFCA All-American. Wilkins was a second-team pick in 1994 and made the first team in ’95. Fellow Australians Stacey Porter (first team in 2003) and Clare Warwick (second team in 2007) also earned All-America honors during their UH careers.

"I looked up to all those players and I played alongside a lot of them," said Parnaby, a member of the Australian national team. "Just to be able to be put in the same class as them is amazing because I idolize those players. I probably wouldn’t be the player I am today without the role models they set for me."

Parnaby appeared in 50 games, including 48 starts, and threw a UH-record 3122⁄3 innings, helping the Rainbow Wahine roll to a 43-15 overall record and the conference title at 20-4 before ending the season in the NCAA regionals.

She tossed 13 shutouts and posted a 1.52 earned-run average.

Parnaby broke UH’s single-game strikeout record with 17 against Syracuse in a relief appearance on March 16 and was named USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Week.