IRVINE, Calif.—The University of Hawai'i softball team placed six members on the 2023 All-Big West teams. Two were named to the first team—Izabella Martinez and Maya Nakamura while Brianna Lopez earned second team honors. UH's Xiao Gin and Haley Johnson both garnered honorable mention accolades and rookie pitcher Key-Annah Campbell-Pua earned a spot on the All-Big West Freshman Team.
 
This was a breakout season for Hawai'i's sophomore catcher Izabella Martinez. The Garden Grove, Calif.-native recorded a team-best 49 hits in 143 at-bats to finish second on the team with a .343 batting average. She also led Hawai'i with a .587 slugging % and concluded the season putting up career-highs of 21 runs scored, eight doubles, nine home runs and 39 RBI. Martinez ended the season leading the Big West and was ranked No. 6 in the NCAA as the toughest batter to strikeout with just four K's the entire season. It is Martinez's first All-Big West honor.
 
After twice earning all-conference second team honors, Maya Nakamura earned a spot on the first team as a junior second baseman. For the second straight season Nakamura led Hawai'i's offense with a .390 overall batting average. She also scored a UH-best 35 runs, 29 walks, and a .531 on-base %. Nakamura, who hails from Honolulu, was second on the team with 48 hits. She was a constant threat on base as she reached base safely in 45 of her 50 games played.
 
For the second-straight season, sophomore pitcher Brianna Lopez earned post-season accolades, placing on the second team after recording a 16-12 overall record. The Riverside, Calif.-native recorded five shutouts in 31 appearances with 17 complete games. The southpaw fired 167.1 innings and finished the year with a 2.43 overall ERA with 140 strikeouts to 69 walks while holding opponents to a .230 batting average.
 
Xiao Gin and Haley Johnson both garnered honorable mention honors for the first time in their careers. Gin, a junior transfer from Oregon State, started the first 52 games all at shortstop and as the leadoff batter for much of the season. Gin led UH with 14 multiple-hit games and finished second on the team with 33 runs scored while hitting .277 (44-for-159). Johnson started all 53 games primarily as the designated player who saw spot duty at catcher. She hit .305 (46-for-151) with a team-best 11 doubles and 43 RBI. Johnson racked up a team-best 14 multiple-RBI games--more than double her nearest teammates.
 
Rookie pitcher Key-Annah Campbell-Pua was named to the All-Freshman Team after recording an 11-8 overall record with a 3.06 ERA in 109.2 innings pitched. She made 21 appearances and 19 starts whilecompleting nine games. She had 47 strikeouts to 32 walks and held opponents to a .235 batting average.
 
The Rainbow Wahine finished the 2023 season in a tie for fifth place with UC Santa Barbara with a 13-14 conference record and a 30-23 overall mark. The 'Bows hit the 30-win mark for the first time since 2019.
 

ALL-BIG WEST FIRST TEAM

Student-Athlete Year Position Institution Hometown Hannah Becerra Jr. INF Cal State Fullerton Diamond Bar, Calif.  Jacquelyn Bickar So. INF Long Beach State Cypress, Calif. Kenedi Brown Jr. P UC Davis Elk Grove, Calif.  Mikayla Carman So. OF CSUN Huntington Beach, Calif.  Lauryn Carranco Fr. P CSUN Clovis, Calif.  Jada Cecil So. P UC San Diego Temecula, Calif.  Jessica Clements So. OF Cal Poly Monterey, Calif.  Anna Dethlefson Jr. C/OF UC Davis Fair Oaks, Calif.  Ashley Donaldson Jr. C/UTL UC Santa Barbara San Jose, Calif.  Shannon Haddad So. P Long Beach State Simi Valley, Calif.  Izabella Martinez So. C Hawai'i  Garden Grove, Calif.  Madelyn McNally Jr. INF UC Santa Barbara La Habra, Calif.  Maya Nakamura Jr. UTL Hawai'i Honolulu, Hawai'i  Sara Olson Jr. OF Long Beach State Newhall, Calif.  Myka Sutherlin Sr. P Cal State Fullerton Gilbert, Ariz.

ALL-BIG WEST SECOND TEAM

Student-Athlete	Year	Position	Institution	Hometown
Jessi Alcala	Jr.	C	Cal State Fullerton	Whittier, Calif.
Kaylee Escutia	So.	INF/OF	CSUN	Simi Valley, Calif.
Sophia Fernandez	Jr.	P	Long Beach State	Torrance, Calif.
Eryka Gonzales	So.	P	Long Beach State	Oxnard, Calif.
Maddie Heinlin	So.	P	UC Riverside	Pleasanton, Calif.
Deshea Hill	Sr.	INF	Cal State Fullerton	Carlsbad, Calif.
Brianna Lopez	So.	P	Hawai'i	Riverside, Calif.
Lilyanna Martinez	Jr.	OF	Long Beach State	Cypress, Calif.
Makayla Medellin	Fr.	OF	Long Beach State	Yorba Linda, Calif.
Haley Rainey	Sr.	P	Cal State Fullerton	Adna, Wash.
Juju Sargent	Jr.	INF	Cal Poly	Brentwood, Calif.
Sarah Starks	Jr.	INF	UC Davis	Gilroy, Calif.
Shaylan Whatman	R-Jr.	INF/C	CSUN	Glenmore Park, New South Wales, Australia

 

ALL-BIG WEST HONORABLE MENTION

Isabella Alonso (Fr., P, CSUN); Allie Gardiner (Gr., P, CSUN); Malia Xiao Gin (Jr., INF, Hawai'i); Haley Johnson (R-So., DP, Hawai'i); Libbie McMahan (Jr., INF, UC Davis); Savanna Montoya (Sr., OF, CSU Bakersfield); Kat Montuya (Jr., UTL, UC Riverside); Daisy Munoz (Sr., INF, Cal State Fullerton); Karissa Munsey (So., INF, CSU Bakersfield); Alexa Neil (Sr., INF, Cal State Fullerton); Bella Pahulu (Jr., INF, UC Davis); Deena Pederson (Jr., UTL, UC San Diego); Brooke Perez (Fr., P, UC Riverside); Sophia Ramuno (Fr., P, Cal Poly); Carly Robbins (So., INF, Long Beach State); Alexa Sams (So., OF, UC Santa Barbara); Daryn Siegel (So., C, UC Santa Barbara); Bailey Wallace (Jr., OF, Cal State Fullerton); Nadia Witt (Gr., OF, UC Riverside);

BIG WEST ALL-FRESHMAN TEAM

Jackie Alday (C, UC Riverside); Isabella Alonso (P, CSUN); Key-annah Campbell-Pua (P, Hawai'i); Lauryn Carranco (P, CSUN); Gia Felice (UTL, UC Davis); Caroline Grimes (P/INF, UC Davis); Makayla Medellin (OF, Long Beach State); Brooke Perez (P, UC Riverside); Selena Perez (INF, Long Beach State); Sophia Ramuno (P, Cal Poly)

Player of the Year: Anna Dethlefson, UC Davis Pitcher of the Year: Myka Sutherlin, Cal State Fullerton Defensive Player of the Year: Alexa Neil, Cal State Fullerton Freshman Field Player of the Year: Makayla Medellin, Long Beach State Freshman Pitcher of the Year: Lauryn Carranco, CSUN Coach of the Year: Kim Sowder, Long Beach State