IRVINE, Calif. – Hawai'i freshman midfielder Nalani Damacion took home Big West Freshman of the Week honors Monday after scoring the game-winning goal in her collegiate debut over the weekend.
 
Damacion put away a goal in the 86th minute of Thursday's season-opening 3-2 win over Georgia Southern, finishing off a Jacey Jicha free kick to complete the comeback victory. She became the first-ever UH freshman to score a game-winning goal in a season opener. It's also the first time since 2019 that the Rainbow Wahine scored a game-winner in the final five minutes of regulation or overtime.
 
The Rocklin, Calif. native then got her first career start in Sunday's match against Utah State and finished the weekend with 111 minutes played, the most by a Hawai'i freshman through two matches. Damacion also totaled four shot attempts on the weekend, with two on goal.
 
Damacion is the first Hawai'i player to earn Big West Freshman of the Week honors since Sept. 26, 2022 (Amber Gilbert), and the first Rainbow Wahine to take home a Big West weekly honor following the first week of the season.