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Hawaii Beat
Star-Bulletin staff
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Wichmann off to good start
SACRAMENTO, Calif. » University of Hawaii junior Annett Wichmann set a school record yesterday during the first day of the heptathlon at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships.
The junior from Jena, Germany, is tied for ninth in the 26-woman field after scoring 3,387 points, 50 more than her Western Athletic Conference championship pace. SMU's Gaelle Niare is the first-day leader with 3,690 points. Defending champion Jacquelyn Johnson of Arizona State is fourth with 3,557.
Wichmann began the day with a personal-best 14.48 in the 100-meter hurdles, good enough for 20th place and 912 points. She earned 916 points in the high jump with a 5-834 effort that landed her in a tie for eighth in that event. Wichmann had the second-best throw in the shot put at 44-5 1/2 for 764 points, moving her up to sixth place overall. She finished the day with another personal best of 26.03 in the 200-meter dash.
"She looked really good today with PRs in both the 100 hurdles and 200, two of her weaker events," UH head coach Carmyn James said in a press release. "She put together a record-setting performance after day one and is looking good, feeling good and excited about tomorrow."
The heptathlon concludes today with the long jump, javelin and 800-meter run. Also competing today is senior Novelle Murray, who will be seeking the program's first national championship since 1984. Murray is one of 12 athletes competing in the discus finals.
Hewitt commits to Rainbow Wahine
Brittany Hewitt, a 6-foot-3 middle blocker, who helped lead Eagle High (Idaho) to the state 5A championship last fall, has verbally committed to the Hawaii women's volleyball team for the 2008 season.
"She's very athletic and very quick," Eagle volleyball coach Paul Schwager told the Star-Bulletin last night. "She's just coming into her own and I think this coming year will be a big year for her."
Hewitt was an all-district and all-state selection for the undefeated Mustangs this past season. Eagle was the district champion and the 5A state runner-up -- the largest division in Idaho prep sports -- in 2005.
"We're really happy for her," Schwager said of Hewitt. "When we talked about schools, she wanted to go to a larger school and was really excited when Hawaii showed an interest."
Kamehameha outside hitter Kanani Herring, the two-time state Gatorade Player of the Year, gave her oral commitment for 2008 to the Rainbow Wahine in March. Binding letters of intent can be signed in November.
Tsutsui, Oesterle to play for HPU
Rayden Tsutsui and Drew Oesterle have signed letters of intent to play for Hawaii Pacific soccer next fall, according to coach John Barry.
Tsutsui played for Moanalua last season and was an All-OIA East first-team selection. He captained Na Menehune for two seasons and the led the East with 16 goals his senior season.
Oesterle, originally from Austin, Minn., is a transfer from Western Nebraska Community College. He captained the Cougars for two seasons.
Aiea teams qualify for U.S. regional
The Ka'oi Rampage and Ka'oi Express, two girls teams from Aiea, have qualified for the U.S. Youth Soccer Region IV Championships later this month in Las Vegas.
The Rampage will compete in the under-12 division and the Express in the under-13 division from June 18-24.
