(HONOLULU, HAWAII) - "HPU fans should be extremely excited about this year's team. Our goal each and every year is to identify the most committed, talented, and fitting student athletes that will continue to push our program closer to a PacWest Championship. We have a solid mix of 24 incoming student athletes from all over the country and state that we feel will take our club to new heights."
Coach Dane Fujinaka announces his 3rd recruiting class with 24 new players. Here is what the breakdown looks like; 12 student athletes from California, 1 from Arizona, 1 from Japan, and 10 from Hawai'i, which include 2 from Big Island, 1 from Maui, 1 from Kauai, and 6 from Oahu. By class; 12 freshmen, 7 junior college, and 5 four-year college transfers.
"I want to especially thank Coach Higa for the numerous hours, road trips, phone calls, and visits in putting this strong 2024 recruiting class together. We took a step forward as a program with this class coming in and we are eager to get to work in August."
Andrew Nykoluk - Junior, Saddleback CC, INF
"Andrew is a winner. He comes to us just off winning a state championship with Saddleback as well as winning a West Coast League championship with LMU. It was pretty evident early in the process that he would be a great fit in helping us win a championship."
Brodrick Bornstein - Freshman, Miramonte HS, RHP
"We identified Brody at our camp last summer. He has a very live arm and a ton of projectability. I'm excited to see him get better and compete with his unique arm slot."
Bruce Boucher - Freshman, Kamehameha-Kapalama, C
"Bruce was our very first 2024 commit. He was very sure about coming to HPU, which is what we loved about him. He brings a very strong skill set and has a ton of potential to offer both defensively and offensively."
Carter Jones - Junior, Yuba City CC, INF
"Carter has had a very unique career path thus far. He finally got an opportunity to show what kind of hitter he can be and was one of the best hitters in Northern California this past season."
Cristian Padilla - Junior, Skyline CC, LHP
"Cristian has been one of the top left-handed pitchers in California junior college the last two seasons. He has pitched in both a starter and reliever role and has had success in both. We are looking for Cristian to make a huge splash at HPU."
Bronson Rivera - Senior, University of Hawaii, Manoa, UTL
"Bronson will be one of the best athletes on the field at any point in time. He was one of the best hitters at UH during his freshman season, and we are excited to get him for his last year of eligibility."
Ethan Murakoshi - Freshman, Mililani HS, INF
"Ethan is very fundamentally sound and comes from a great program at Mililani. He plays high-level defense and is able to hit for power that will translate to our level. I believe Ethan is a great fit for our program, and I'm excited he gets to stay home and represent Hawai'i."
Jacob Vanek - Junior, Lassen CC, RHP
"We are pumped to get Jacob back home. He is a Radford guy and went to Lassen CC to play for Frank Avila, who also has Hawai'i ties. Jacob was their number one starter and will offer a ton of versatility and reliability to our pitching staff."
Jayden Gabrillo - Freshman, Mid Pacific, RHP, INF
"Jayden has a very special skill set. He offers a 90 mph arm on the mound and also a very sound defensive glove, being able to play on the left side of the infield. We are excited to see Jayden develop over the next few years and help us on both sides of the ball."
Jesse Cuthill - Freshman, Rocklin HS, LHP
"I'm so happy that Jesse decided on HPU. He is a mid-to-upper 80s LHP who throws a ton of strikes. His skill set will allow him to contribute right away, and his upside will allow him to be a pretty special pitcher at some point in his career."
Joshua Rego - Freshman, Kauai HS, LHP
"We are getting a tremendous person and athlete in Josh. He was a two-sport athlete and has some serious upside. Josh's best baseball is ahead of him, and we are excited to help him reach new heights."
Ziah Chang - Freshman, Kamehameha-Maui, OF
"We saw Ziah at a camp back in December and immediately knew he was a great fit for us. He plays extremely hard and has some tools despite his size. I'm excited we were able to keep Ziah in Hawai'i."
Owen Wessel - Junior, Orange Coast CC, UTL
"Owen is the definition of what it means to be a Shark. He checks all the character boxes and will bring an unmatched energy to our team that we are pumped about. He will probably play numerous positions with his defensive versatility and will have that spark plug type of offensive skill set."
Logan Gibson - Junior, Modesto CC, OF
"Logan was previously at UH and then transferred to Modesto CC, where they were one of the top junior colleges in the state this past year. Logan has some twitchy tools that we are excited about, and we couldn't be happier to get him back to the islands."
Kaohu Kawelu - Freshman, Kamehameha-Hawai'i, INF
"I first saw 'Bubu' when he was a junior during a showcase on Oahu. He helped lead his high school team to a State Championship this past season. I believe we got the top infielder in the state in Bubu, and I'm excited to get him in an HPU uniform."
Keanu Spenser - Junior, Queens University, INF
"I first learned about Keanu from an MLB scout. His exact words were 'big power.' Come to find out, Keanu's family is also from Maui. Keanu is one of those players who will be able to change the game with one swing, and that is something we really haven't had here in a while."
Kila Teixeira - Freshman, Roosevelt HS, C
"Kila brings a very dynamic skill set along with a ton of great coaching. I first saw Kila during a practice coming off of an injury from getting beaned in the face. Despite his setback, he brought a special energy and enthusiasm when he practiced that made it very clear that we needed him in our program."
Kaimana Burgo - Freshman, Kailua HS, LHP
"Kaimana is an impact arm who has a chance to pitch some pretty important innings early in his career. He comes from a winning culture at Kailua, and I'm excited to keep the Kailua pipeline going here at HPU with Kaimana."
Makana Oniate - Freshman, Iolani HS, RHP
"Makana is the perfect fit for HPU. He has a toughness about him that will allow him to compete in any situation he gets put in, which is something that is hard to find. We are excited to help develop his skill set and see him thrive here at HPU."
Morgan Jennings - Junior, LA Valley CC, RHP
"Morgan comes from a very successful LA Valley program. He had a ton of success the last two seasons at LA Valley. Watching some video, he has a unique pitch arsenal that will differentiate our pitching staff."
Ryudai Watanabe - Junior, Florida Memorial, RHP
"Ryudai is a pretty impressive human. He's been through a lot, and immediately after talking with him, he makes no excuses and is an action-oriented person, which is what we need in our program. Ryudai has a unique delivery and set of pitches that I'm also excited about."
Noah Blythe - Junior, University of Antelope Valley, OF
"Words can't describe how excited we are to get Noah back to HPU. He has a special talent that has made him one of the best, if not the best, hitters everywhere he goes. It's special, and I'm so glad it will again be in a Shark uniform."
Troy Harding - Senior, Sacramento State, C
"Troy comes highly recommended by many different coaches. He brings a maturity, set of leadership skills, and a set of physical skills that will make our team better immediately. I'm excited to get to work with Troy and have him help us win a championship."
Tyler Arnold - Freshman, Rancho Bernardo HS, INF
"I believe we hit the jackpot with Tyler. He played for one of the top high schools in CA and was one of the top players in all of CA. Tyler has a chance to be an immediate contributor both offensively and defensively, and we are excited to hit the ground running with him."
