HONOLULU – The University of Hawai'i women's golf team's record-breaking 2021-22 campaign came to an end when the team nor individuals were not selected for an at-large bid into the NCAA Championship.
 
The season was not lost as the team set many records and recorded its highest national ranking (78) in 15 years. The Rainbow Wahine posted four team wins on the year, including a co-Big West Championship, their first conference title in program history. Hawai'i just missed out on its first NCAA Regional appearance since 2007.
 
"What a season," head coach Stephen Bidne said. "This will go down in the record books as one of the best teams in UH Wahine Golf history, and I am so fortunate to have been a part of it and have had a front row seat. The countless records and milestones that we set this season are remarkable, and it's just a true testament of how hard this team worked all year."
 
Bidne completed his fifth season at the helm and guided the Rainbow Wahine to their best team scoring average in school history (298.3). The team also set scoring records for low round (282) and low 54-hole score (854), both at the Fresno State Classic, which was one of the team's wins and one of a record eight Top 5 finishes on the year.
 
In addition, the team posted the most birdies (336) and most eagles (7) in a single-season in program history.
 
"Entering the season I knew on paper that we would be pretty good with those returning, plus the large top recruiting class we brought in, but they definitely exceeded my expectations," Bidne said. "Becoming the first team in UH Wahine Golf history to win the Big West Conference Championship, will be something that these players and I will cherish and will remember for the rest of our lives. The records that we broke this year, and the success that we had was something that was a long time coming. Every member of this team pushed each other and worked so hard on their games, and they put in countless hours in the gym and on the golf course outside of regular team practice hours." 
 
Freshman sensation Momo Sugiyama recorded one of the two individual wins at the Couer d'Alene Collegiate, along with Hana Mirnik's title at the HPU Sharks Shootout. Sugiyama, of Gold Coast, Australia, set a new individual scoring average mark (73.4) along with records for low 54-hole score (211 at the Fresno State Classic), most total birdies (85), and rounds of par or better (13). She was UH's lone representative on the all-Big West first team and was named the school's Rookie of the Year.
 
Mirnik and Hyeonji Kang were also named second-team all-conference while Kang, a freshman from Jeju, South Korea, earned Big West all-tournament team honors after her fourth place finish at the conference championship. Mirnik, a junior from Celje, Slovenia, finished her career with a 75.5 average, second all-time in school history.
 
"Five years ago when I took this job, I told the team we will win the Big West Conference Championship someday," Bidne said. "That day finally came, and I couldn't be more proud of each and every single one of them. This may be the first Big West Conference Championship win, but I know it won't be the last."