Oregon State senior Manase Hungalu was named the Pac-12 defensive player of the week on Monday.
Hungalu, a 6-foot-1, 238-pound inside linebacker from Kealakehe, recorded a career-high 20 tackles in a 37-23 loss to California on Saturday.
The 20 tackles are the fourth-most in an NCAA FBS game this year and the fourth-most by a Beavers player in school history.
His 13 solo tackles are also the third-most in the NCAA FBS this season.
Hungalu is averaging nine tackles per game this season and is one of three players in the Pac-12 ranking in the top 20 in tackles, passes defended and interceptions per game.
This is the first Pac-12 player of the week honor for Hungalu and the first for an Oregon State player in a conference game since 2013.
Conching judged among best
Whitman (Wash.) junior Codie Conching, a 2015 Kamehameha alumna who switched from defensive specialist to outside hitter midway through the season, was named to the All-Northwest Conference first team on Tuesday.
Pacific Lutheran defensive specialist Caylie Shiramizu (University ’15) and Linfield (Ore.) defensive specialist Kayla Magbaleta (Mililani ’15) were named to the second team, and Linfield freshman Destyni Grace (Aiea ’17) earned honorable mention.
Conching, who had just nine total kills in her first two seasons and 15 kills in her first eight games this year, put down 119 kills in nine games after changing positions and helped the Blues go 7-2 in that stretch.
Conching had seven double-doubles during that stretch and posted a career-high 38 digs in a five-set win over eventual league champion Pacific Lutheran in September.
She finished ninth in the league with 4.28 digs per set, 18th with 2.17 kills per set and 20th with 21 service aces.
Shiramizu was twice named NWC defensive player of the week this season and finished second in the league averaging 5.70 digs per set.
Magbaleta averaged 5.40 digs per set this season.
