HILO – A Japanese businessman with strong ties to the Hawai‘i Island has pledged $60,000 to create two funds to benefit the UH Hilo Vulcans Athletics Program. His gift will support student athletes and the Vulcans coaching staff.
How his gift will benefit UH Hilo Athletics:
- The Hikozaemon Takahashi Coaches Fund for Excellence supports the UH Hilo Athletics recruitment program and will make it possible for coaches to travel throughout Hawai‘i and the nation to meet and recruit athletic talent. Currently, coaches rely on their own personal funds and other limited donor funds to pay for travel.
- The Hikozaemon Takahashi Scholarship provides financial assistance for student-athletes and can be used for their tuition, books and equipment.
Chancellor Donald Straney said, “We are most grateful to our donor for investing in our athletics program. By growing our recruitment capabilities and scholarship opportunities, our program can flourish.”
UH Hilo Athletics Director Dexter Irvin added, “The UH Hilo Athletics program has twelve sports, including basketball, volleyball, baseball, softball, soccer, tennis, and golf. Our goal is to ensure that all scholar-athletes receive scholarship support and that we have the means to recruit top talent.” Irvin concluded, “This generous gift will have an immediate, positive impact on the program.”
The donor added, “The aloha from the people of Hawai‘i is special and unique. This gift is a small gesture of my appreciation and gratitude of Hawai‘i"
Photo by Kelly Leong, Sports Information Director
Front Row:
Assistant Soccer Coach Gene Okamura, Men’s Basketball Coach GE Coleman, Assistant Soccer Coach Victor Benevides, Women’s Basketball Coach David Kaneshiro, Interim Baseball Coach Kallen Miyataki, Cross Country Coach Jaime Guerpo, Softball Coach Jaime Wallin, Director of Soccer Lance Thompson.
Second Row:
Athletic Director Dexter Irvin, Darnell Williams (MBK), Head Tennis Coach Karl Sloss, Kallen Mizutani (MT), Rachel Sugiyama (WT), Kristine Pasek (WS), Kassandra Talamentez (WS), Keri Fujiwara (XC), Golf/Volleyball Administrator Diane Wissing,
Third Row:
Assistant Men’s Basketball Coach Tyson Sturza, Darius Johnson-Wilson (MBK), Certified Athletic Trainer Dick Koch, McKenzie Mangino (WBK), Assistant Cross Country Coach Alan Ryan, Danielle Kooyman (WBK), Yonha Andrabi (MS), Women’s Golf Coach Jim DeMello, Volleyball Coach Tino Reyes, Ikaika Fuerte (MS), Jordan Concannon (XC)
KEY:
MBK – Men’s Basketball, MS – Men’s Soccer, MT – Men’s Tennis WBK – Women’s Basketball, WS – Women’s Soccer, WT – Women’s Tennis, XC – Cross Country
FOR UH • FOR HAWAIʻI, The Campaign for the University of Hawaiʻi, is focused on raising $1 billion to support UH priorities on all 10 campuses across the state, including student success; research that matters; kuleana to Native Hawaiians and Hawaiʻi; sustainability, resilience and conservation; innovation and entrepreneurship; building Hawaiʻi’s workforce; and engaging our community. Learn more at uhfoundation.org/4UH4HI
Questions? / More Information
If you would like to learn how you can support UH students and programs like this, please contact us at 808-956-8700 or send us a message.
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The University of Hawaiʻi Foundation, a nonprofit organization, raises private funds to support the University of Hawaiʻi System. The mission of the University of Hawaiʻi Foundation is to unite donors' passions with the University of Hawaiʻi’s aspirations by raising philanthropic support and managing private investments to benefit UH, the people of Hawaiʻi and our future generations www.uhfoundation.org.
