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CINDY ELLEN RUSSELL / 2016
Hawaii’s Raisa Strom-Okimoto escaped from the defense of CSU Fullerton’s Atlanta Primus during a 2016 match held at the Waipio Soccer Complex. Senior striker Raisa Strom-Okimoto became the Hawaii soccer team’s first Big West offensive player of the year on Wednesday.
Senior striker Raisa Strom-Okimoto became the Hawaii soccer team’s first Big West offensive player of the year today.
The Aiea alumna and UH co-captain was rewarded after a blistering scoring season. She was the conference’s leading scorer at 12 goals, and overall points leader at 27. She carried UH (9-7-1, 4-4 Big West) to an overall winning season and to the brink of Big West tournament qualification, although the Rainbow Wahine fell just short of that achievement.
She wrapped up her career with 22 goals, sixth all-time for UH. The only other players in UH history to to be a conference’s singular player of the year or position player of the year are Natasha Kai (2002, 2003, 2005), Ambree Ako (2007) and Taryn Fukuroku (2008). Those players all did it in the WAC.
Strom-Okimoto and midfielder Leialoha Medeiros were named to the 13-player All-Big West Conference first team.
Strom-Okimoto also became UH’s first three-time All-BWC performer, having won it her sophomore, junior and senior seasons. Medeiros was one of two sophomores on the first team after scoring seven goals.
Junior goalkeeper Lex Mata was a BWC honorable mention.
Center back Elena Palacios was named to the 11-player BWC All-Freshman team.
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