Waracka is preseason pitcher of year

Hawaii-Hilo junior Amber Waracka is the Pacific West Conference’s preseason pitcher of the year in softball.

Waracka was a first-team All-PacWest selection last season when she went 17-8 with a 1.98 ERA.

Two of Waracka’s teammates also were chosen to the preseason All-PacWest team, junior second baseman Aisha Sueda, and senior outfielder Kanani Numata.

Hawaii Pacific senior Kozy Toriano was chosen to the preseason team as a utility player.

In a poll of coaches, Dixie State was predicted to finish first out of the nine teams. Coaches also predicted HPU to finish second, Hawaii-Hilo fourth, Chaminade seventh and Brigham Young-Hawaii eighth.

PacWest honors for Manago, Greene

Senior outfielder Keoni Manago of Hawaii-Hilo was picked as the Pacific West Conference’s preseason player of the year in baseball.

Hawaii Pacific’s Michael Greene (6-2, 3.88 ERA in 2010) is the preseason pitcher of the year. He was second-team All-PacWest a year ago.

Manago was the conference’s player of the year two years ago and a co-player of the year last season. He was also the freshman of the year three years ago.

He batted .403 with 32 RBIs, five home runs and 12 stolen bases in 14 tries last season.

Vulcans teammate David Keller, a senior catcher, also made the preseason PacWest team.

Aside from Greene, four other Sea Warriors were chosen to the preseason all-conference team — sophomore first baseman Kale Sumner, sophomore shortstop Wade Tamaru, junior third baseman Blake Amaral and senior pitcher Toby Inouye.

USTA gives grant to wheelchair club

Ala Moana Wheelchair Tennis Club and the Maui County Department of Parks and Recreation are among 21 wheelchair tennis programs nationwide to receive grants from the U.S. Tennis Association.

The USTA announced Monday that it was awarding $45,000 from its Grassroots Wheelchair Program. This is the third year of the grants, with the amount increasing each year.

Grants go to local organizations that "promote and develop the growth of wheelchair tennis and use the sport to build stronger, healthier communities."

Organizations interested in starting a wheelchair tennis program, or would like more information, can s e-mail wheelchairinfo@usta.com.