IRVINE, Calif.--For the second-straight season, the University of Hawai'i softball team has been picked to finish fourth in the 2022 Big West Preseason Coaches Poll. The Rainbow Wahine are tied with UC Davis as both teams tallied 49 points.
The poll was voted on by the conference's head coaches. Cal State Fullerton, the Big West champions in four of the last five year, earned the top spot in the poll, edging out defending Big West champs, Long Beach State by three points and just one first place vote.
The Rainbow Wahine finished sixth in the BWC standings in the COVID-shortened 2021 season with a 12-19 overall record and an 11-13 mark in conference.
Hawai'i returns 15 letterwinners with five freshman and a redshirt freshman. On offense, the 'Bows will be led by returnees
Dallas Millwood,
Brittnee Rossi,
Maya Nakamura and
Nawai Kaupe. A lot UH's success will ride on freshmen pitchers
Brianna Lopez and
Chloe Borges and senior
Ashley Murphy.
The Rainbow Wahine will open the 2022 season on the road for just the second time in the last 20 years. Hawai'i makes its return to play on the ninth Island (Las Vegas, Nev.) to compete in UNLV's Boyd Gaming Rebel Classic from Feb. 11-13 at Eller Media Stadium. The Rainbow Wahine will face BYU, UNLV, and CSU Bakersfield (in a non-conference match-up).
2022 BIG WEST PRESEASON COACHES POLL
| Rank |
School |
Points (1st-place votes) |
| 1. |
Cal State Fullerton |
77 (5) |
| 2. |
Long Beach State |
74 (4) |
| 3. |
UC Davis |
55 |
| T4 |
Hawai'i |
49 |
| T4 |
UC San Diego |
49 |
| 6. |
Cal Poly |
42 (1) |
| 7. |
UC Santa Barbara |
41 |
| 8. |
CSUN |
29 |
| 9. |
UC Riverside |
25 |
| 10. |
CSU Bakersfield |
9 |
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