First-year Hawaii Pacific volleyball player Tricia Yoshimura is truly a difference maker.

“;She is someone who everyone gravitates to,”; said third-year HPU coach Daryl Kapis. “;Her positive attitude connects with everyone. Trish is full of energy and brings ohana to our team.”;

With 14 newcomers on HPU's roster, the Sea Warriors struggled early. But Yoshimura's charisma and athleticism helped build team chemistry throughout the season.

“;I try to be positive and pump everyone up,”; she said. “;We had to try to work together. Now we are finally coming together as one team.”;

Kapis said the 5-foot-2 defensive specialist, who leads the conference in digs with 5.2 per game, is one of HPU's best all-around players.

“;It doesn't matter what size she is,”; Kapis said. “;She is a team leader and our floor captain. She is full of energy and leads by example.”;

Senior outside hitter Antje Buskies agrees.

“;You always feel secure on the court when you are next to her,”; Buskies said. “;Every game, she loses her voice because she is so active and vocal on the court. Trish is everywhere on the court. She gets so many balls. She is amazing.”;

Things could have turned out differently had Yoshimura not followed her heart. After graduating from Hawaii Baptist Academy in 2006, Yoshimura joined Oregon State as a walk-on. She started several matches and averaged 2.4 digs per game as a true freshman.

But Yoshimura, an only child, wanted to play in front of her family.

“;I missed home and wanted my family to see me playing in college,”; Yoshimura said. “;Playing at Oregon State was a good experience for me and I'm glad I did it.”;

Yoshimura left Oregon State following the 2006 season. She sat out last year and joined the Sea Warriors this fall.

Her athletic career can be traced back to elementary school, where she played soccer first. A few years later, she picked up volleyball.

“;I leaned more toward volleyball because I discovered I was better at volleyball than soccer,”; Yoshimura said.

From fifth grade through her senior year in high school, Yoshimura played for the Jammers Volleyball Club in Honolulu.

Yoshimura lettered four years at HBA and played outside hitter. She was a three-time Interscholastic League of Honolulu honorable-mention selection. Several of her high school teammates went on to Division I programs, including defensive specialist Jayme Lee at Hawaii .

“;(Tricia) was a big part of our success,”; said former HBA coach Keith Sugiura, who coached Yoshimura. “;She was undersized as a hitter, but she was crafty. She was an all-around solid player.”;

Sugiura said Yoshimura, a team captain her senior season, showed great leadership. He added that Yoshimura's outgoing personality brought teammates together.

“;Tricia came with a certain approach to the game,”; Sugiura said. “;You didn't have to worry about her because she was consistent. She worked hard. She was hungry and wanted to succeed.”;

She is hopeful that same approach will help the Sea Warriors finish the season strong.

“;It's doable,”; Yoshimura said. “;We have to go all out and play like it's your last and do whatever you can.”;