UH names 4 to Circle of Honor

Vince Goo and Jim Schwitters, two of the winningest coaches in the history of University of Hawaii athletics, are among the four members that comprise the newest class in the UH Sports Circle of Honor.

Joining Goo, the former Rainbow Wahine basketball coach, and former men's and women's tennis coach Schwitters are the late Terry Albritton and the late Jyun “;Curly”; Hirota. The four will be feted at Friday's media lunch hosted by sponsoring Bank of Hawaii, with the formal induction Saturday at halftime of the men's basketball game between the Warriors and Fresno State.

At the time of his retirement in 2004, Goo was the winningest college basketball coach in the state—men's or women's program—with 334 victories in 17 seasons.

When Schwitters retired after a 38-year career in 2003, he was the NCAA career leader in victories (1,327), a combined record of men's and women's wins.

Albritton, who died in 2004, set the world record in the shot putt and was the NCAA runner-up in that discipline during his one-year career at UH. He went on to win the NCAA title while at Stanford and returned to UH, where he served as a strength coach from 1979 to '85).

Hirota, who died in 2003, was a two-sport athlete at UH, an all-league baseball player and co-captain of the 1948 football team. He went on to an all-star pro career with the Tokyo/Yomiuri Giants in the Japan Baseball League and returned to coach the Rainbows baseball team in the 1960s.

This is the 28th class to be enshrined, bringing the number to 90 individuals and 10 teams. Plaques honoring the inductees are hung on the walls of the Stan Sheriff Center's inner concourse.

Kaufman earns WAC honor

For the second time in three weeks, Hawaii high jumper Amber Kaufman was named the Western Athletic Conference women's indoor track and field athlete of the week.

Kaufman won the high jump at Friday's Lobo Challenge in Albuquerque, N.M. She broke her school record with a jump of 6 feet, 3.25 inches, tying for the best mark nationally this season.

HPU's O'Meara tops PacWest team

Hawaii Pacific senior pitcher Caelan O'Meara was named the Pacific West Conference preseason pitcher of the year and the Sea Warriors shared the No. 2 spot in the conference's preseason baseball poll announced this week.

Dixie State, with preseason player of the year Brett Adams, was picked to repeat as champion. HPU and Grand Canyon tied for second, followed by Hawaii-Hilo and Academy of Art.

Joining O'Meara on the team from HPU were senior second baseman Sean Winston and sophomore outfielder Blake Amaral.

Hawaii-Hilo's picks include senior shortstop Shane Kessell, junior outfielder Keoni Manago and junior pitcher Kekoa Lee.