University of Hawaii swimmer Micah Ornellas qualified for the U.S. Olympic Trials in the men’s 100-meter butterfly on Sunday during the Hawaiian Senior Championships at Central Oahu Regional Park.
In his final opportunity to qualify, Ornellas posted a time of 54.78 seconds in the 100 fly finals, 0.01 seconds under the qualifying standard.
Ornellas, an incoming sophomore, finished second in the race behind Maryknoll’s Jian Mao, who touched the wall at 54.66. Mao is originally from China and isn’t eligible for the U.S. trials.
Ornellas is scheduled to compete on July 1 in the Olympic Trials in Omaha, Neb. UH senior Erin McNulty qualified in the women’s 100-meter butterfly in November.
>> Former UH diver Qiongjie (Huang) Drew will compete at the USA Diving Olympic Trials in Indianapolis. Drew, who won the NCAA 1-meter championship in 2005, is among 28 divers entered in the women’s 3-meter springboard event in the meet at IUPUI Natatorium. The preliminaries will be held today, with the finals on Sunday.
>> UH sophomore Johan Sandell won the men’s 3-meter synchronized diving title at the Swedish National Diving Championship last Saturday in Malmo, Sweden. He also placed third in the 3-meter and fourth in the platform. Former Wahine diver Danielle Nero won the Swedish title in the 1-meter event.
Wahine soccer adds Big Ten standout
The Hawaii soccer team bolstered its ranks in the offseason with five recent player pickups for the fall, including a notable transfer from Northwestern in forward Addison Steiner.
Steiner is a two-time All-Big Ten second-team selection who tallied 19 goals in three seasons for NU, an NCAA tournament-caliber program that underwent a coaching change in 2015. She has one year of eligibility left and can play immediately.
“Steiner is just flat-out good. She’s proven herself in a very competitive conference,” UH coach Michele Nagamine said Monday. “Everything I’ve heard about her from her coach and her opposing coaches is this kid is as tough as nails. She doesn’t like to lose and she takes her competition very seriously.”
UH, which went winless in conference play for the first time in program history last year, will have 10 total newcomers. The other recent additions for the Rainbow Wahine are freshman utility player Lillie French; freshman defender Mya Torres; and a pair of goalkeepers in junior Evelyn Fierros and freshman Hannah Gardner.
They joined the previously announced 2016 signing class of Myranda Rae Baca, Mikaelah McKinney-Griggs, Sammi Walker, Kylie Wolfe and Mililani High’s Tia Furuta.
Wahine volleyball season tickets on sale
Season tickets for University of Hawaii women’s volleyball, which includes matches against six teams that made the NCAA tournament, are on sale.
Prices range from $175 for lower level (‘Ahahui Koa Anuenue premium seat contribution extra) to $75 for students (ages 4 through high school). Tickets can be purchased online at ETicketHawaii.com, at the Stan Sheriff Center box office on weekdays and by phone at 944-2697.
Among the home opponents are 2015 NCAA participants Arizona, Kansas State, Missouri, Washington, Wisconsin and UCLA. Hawaii, ranked No. 7 in the final 2015 poll, opens the year with Wisconsin in the Chevron Invitational on Aug. 26. The Badgers finished at No. 10 in the final poll.
Coach Dave Shoji returns for his 42nd season with a team that has five starters back from a 29-2 campaign, reaching the NCAA regional final. Returning are senior opposite Nikki Taylor, senior setter Tayler Higgins and three juniors — Emily Maglio, a middle blocker; hitter Kalei Greeley and libero Savannah Kahakai.
