More than 70 student-athletes gathered at the Elks Club in Waikiki this morning to sign their national letters of intent in the final signing period for current seniors.
Star-Advertiser/Hawaii Prep World reporter Paul Honda was there and will have more from the event.
For now, here is a list of the student-athletes organized by sport and where they signed:
BASEBALL
Landon Carter, Punahou (Pitzer College)
Brayden Nomura, St. Francis (Lewis & Clark)
Slater Pang, Punahou (Johns Hopkins University)
Kirk Terada-Herzer, Punahou (Swarthmore College)
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
Trinidee Kahunahana, Kaiser (Everett Community College)
Brilie Kovaloff, Mid-Pacific (Pacific University)
Dallas Martinez, Sacred Hearts (Whittier College)
Kiarra Young, Punahou (Occidental College)
CROSS COUNTRY
Peyton Oshiro, Hawaii Baptist (Chaminade)
FOOTBALL
Dreyden Ahia, Campbell (Dakota College)
Matthew Fiesta, Waipahu (Whitworth)
Isaiah Galanto, Pearl City (Pacific Lutheran)
Mika Makekau, ‘Iolani (La Verne)
Tyler Perpignan, Mililani (Pacific Lutheran)
Spencer Santos, Mililani (Whitworth)
Tyler Sato, Punahou (Puget Sound)
Sharif Tarin, Roosevelt (Puget Sound)
Michael Yanagi, Punahou (Lewis & Clark)
ROWING
Kailee Jackson, University (Gonzaga)
MEN’S SOCCER
Richard Seaman, Pearl City (George Fox University)
WOMEN’S SOCCER
Sunshine Fontes, Pearl City (UCLA)
Elizabeth Leyshon, Punahou (University of British Columbia)
Lauren Mukaigawa, Punahou (Seattle University)
Alexis Schmidt, Sacred Hearts (Bloomfield College)
Naomi Takata, Pearl City (Chaminade)
SOFTBALL
Alyssa Abe, Leilehua (Lewis & Clark)
Kylee-Lei Bednar, St. Francis (Edmonds Community College)
Jade Behic, Kapolei (Lower Columbia College)
Nadia Delzer, Campbell (Edmonds Community College)
Michaela Fonoti, Campbell (Azusa Pacific)
Seaerra Fuentes-Arellano, Campbell (Ortero Junior College)
Jadey Hagiwara, Punahou (Brown University)
Kayla Hale, Leilehua (Pacific University)
Sierrah Kupihea, St. Francis (Texas A&M Texarkana)
Chasity McKean, Kapolei (College of Southern Nevada)
Liana Nagamine, Campbell (College of Southern Nevada)
Caisha Nunes, Campbell (Western Oregon)
Jayden Pacheco, Campbell (Corban University)
Mikayla Pinera, Leilehua (Lewis & Clark)
Alesia Ranches, Campbell (Iowa State)
Dyllan Sanay-Shiraishi, Campbell (Bossier Parish Community College)
Shayla Young, Castle (Everett Community College)
SWIMMING
Nohea Lileikis, Punahou (Pepperdine)
Chanel Ng, Punahou (Occidental)
TRACK & FIELD
Georgi Brady, Punahou (Gonzaga)
Hugh Donlon, Mid-Pacific (Willamette University)
Maiya Fujiwara, Punahou (Santa Clara)
Amy Warrington, Mid-Pacific (Hawaii)
MEN’S VOLLEYBALL
Chance Guillermo, Mililani (Illinois Institute of Technology)
WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL
Chloe Akiona-Bannan, Kamehameha (Puget Sound)
Cara Bolte, Maryknoll (Puget Sound)
Ryanne Burnett, Sacred Hearts (Delaware State)
Mahealani Chun, Mililani (Lees-McRae College)
Vanessa Colling, Roosevelt (Odessa College)
Makana Eleneki, Kamehameha (Alaska Anchorage)
Makenzie Faamausili-Cacoulidis, Sacred Hearts (Missouri Southern State)
Halee Hetzler, Le Jardin (Pacific Lutheran)
Kaysha Kahai-Enos, Kamehameha-Hawaii (Lee College)
Katelyn Kamei, St. Andrew’s Priory (Manhattanville College)
Sierra Kanoa, Kamehameha (Providence Christian College)
Pulelehua Keb, Kaiser (Lee College)
Jaycie Kodama, Moanalua (New England College)
Malie McClure, Kamehameha (Eastern Washington)
Mckenzy Metter, Punahou (Columbia University)
Kayla Murray, Sacred Hearts (Missouri Southern State)
Maya Nakasone, Hawaii Baptist (Linfield)
Emma Porter, Mid-Pacific (Willamette)
Danielle Queja, Maryknoll (Willamette)
Kamalani Quindica, Punahou (Pacific University)
Megan Sula, Kaiser (Whitman College)
Ramsaye Wakinekona, Sacred Hearts (Western Wyoming Community College)
Sarah Wong, Mililani (Hope International)
How do you sign letters of intent to division 3 schools for athletic purposes? I see a lot of kids doing that. I’m not saying it’s a bad thing for academics but I know you can’t do athletic for D3.
Hi there. Thank you for the awesome coverage. My daughter is Naomi Takata, Pearl City High School going to Chaminade University but for soccer, not softball. Thanks!!!
What about JC signings…Anyone can go JC
This whole signing national letter of intent is getting ridiculous. Saying where you are going after selecting an institution when schools are not fighting over you is not necessary. I’m going to a D3 school and will play sports, let everyone know….But I’m not sure where this school is or how to pronounce it, but let me sign a paper. National letter or intent day was acknowledged for Athletic scholarships that count against a program’s allotment. Let the comments fly about how we should just be proud of these kids for their accomplishments. I’m happy for them, but let’s not build on the “participation trophy” generation.
^^^ Completely agree with you on this. I hope the parents of these kids know what they are setting themselves up for financially. Almost all of these kids will be receiving zero athletic scholarship money and thus will have to dish out 50K + every year for the next four years.
Wondering why no Big Name College Signees in Football? Seems we had plenty of talent on both sides of the ball. What gives?
No such thing as a “signing day” for D3. I am currently rly a D3 athlete and it truly is a “pay-to-play” ordeal. Nothing against, it’s just the reality of the matter.
You guys are right. Never ceases to amaze me how parents raise their kids to place athletics before academics by choosing an unheard of school purely so their child can play “college” sports rather than select a school based on academics and preparation for real life. Little wonder so many quit sports and transfer after a year at these schools when they realize the school is not a good fit.
To “Stu” who made the first comment about Richard Seaman. YES….that is MY Son & I’m very proud of all of his accomplishments. Shame on You.
Great that the kids can pursue their dreams playing at the college level, but do we really need this day for players to be recognized in selecting a college? Did these D3 schools really have to actively compete for these athletes? I’m just wondering, but hey there’s academic merit money available if you have the grades/sat scores.
Good luck to all and spread da aloha.
Fyi for those that belittle d3 schools. Most d3 schools are much harder to get into than most d1 schools. Mit,chicago,amherst,etc. Smart athletes are recruited heavily and if you are in the range it can get you in. The financial aid at a lot of these schools is much better than an athletic scbolarship. Getting into swarthmore is more than a participation prize.
To the troll who calls himself “STU” that posted the first comment, the young man you are talking about is my nephew! It’s sad that a troll like yourself has to sit behind a computer and make comments like that instead of congratulating these kids who have worked their butts off! I truly hope that you didn’t procreate because that would mean your kids would be subjected to your awesome parenting techniques! Do you troll on sites like this because you were BULLIED in school or did you suck at sports so much that you weren’t even considered scholarship worthy, or worst yet…did you even go to school or entered into college? I feel sorry for people like you that you feel it’s worthy to comment on a last name instead of congratulating all of these kids!
STU
This article is to celebrate all the kids who have dedicated their young lives to a sport that they love and as a result colleges have recognized their dedication, determination, and passion for their choice of sport. These kids deserve respect and you have shown that you are more than likely a former school bully and now (I’m assuming) an adult who has nothing better than to poke fun at people. What’s in a name? Honor, identity, history, and love. When Richard was named I am certain that his parents blessed him with a name that their son would exemplify in his lifetime as it means: leader, powerful, strong, and brave. His surname of Seaman also means friend of the sea and servant. How fitting for a young man to strive to become everything his name means! A wonderful soccer player, intelligent, and humble. Sorry for the history lesson but I feel that you need to be “schooled”.
I believe that I should not become that of what I despise…but in this situation I will stoop to your level. Your name is STU so is that an abbreviation for STUPID?
To everyone who posted something about STU’s comments. Thank you.
As for the people who are putting these kids down instead of congratulating them, you guys are pretty sad. These kids put in the work not only in the sports that they love but in the classroom too. They all created opportunities and options for themselves to further their education through their grades and sports. We have a lot of kids in Hawaii that are great athletes but as soon as their high school athletic careers are done and did not get that D1 scholarship, they hit the wall and dont continue their education because they did not do their part in the classroom. For a lot of families, playing high school sports is a tool for them to get their kids to further their education.
JoeT, you have it completely backwards. Most select D3 because its academics over athletics. This decision is again the opposite of what you are saying as these schools are all about preparing the kids for life after school/athletics. Because there are no athletic scholarships at D3, the students are able to select substantive/challenging majors without the sport being the top priority. Most of the D3 schools are highly academic, just look at the list of the schools that this batch of kids are signing at: Pitzter, Johns Hopkins, Swarthmore, Occidental just to name a few. And if you are someone that does not know these schools or where they are or think these kids are just “signing a paper” to attend, then you are really missing the point as you would have no idea how top notch these schools are academically. As Jmm pointed out also, most of the D3’s have very generous merit awards so most of these kids who have the grades and test scores are getting a good amount of money, and money that is not tied to their performance on an athletic field. No “participation trophy” STUDENT athletes here, only kids that have worked hard to continue their education and still play the sport they have excelled at. For To da house, yes all of the D3’s recruit, against each other and also against the higher level schools. I know kids that have turned down D1 schools to attend D3 schools because of the prestigious academics, for example the Claremont schools that are big time academically. And not anyone can play at the D3 level, the players at these schools are good, maybe a few notches down athletically from D1 players but still good players. I see some all league levels players on this list signing at D3 schools. I think its terrific that Education First puts on this signing, so ironic that posters here are dissing kids that are being hosted by an organization with that name LOL!
Jmm and Congratulations to the Signees! hit it on the nose! Even if its D3 you still need to be recruited to earn a spot on the team. You can’t just show up and play, it doesn’t work like that.
Small colleges many times offer a better package than an athletic scholarship from a D2 school. And not all D1 schools give full rides either! Some of the schools mentioned in the list have very low acceptance rates, making it very difficult to get into to the school.
Some of the aid that is given by some of the east coast schools is substantial. Swarthmore is need blind and offered 50% of kids $50K (2018), dropping their COA down to $19K. This is a high end academic school and part of a tri consortium of schools, meaning you can take classes from the two other schools in the area. It’s also known to be the most beautiful campus in the nation. Yup there is an article on this. Kudos to the boy who is going here, he and his family know what’s up!! Totally scored!!