HONOLULU – Former Hawai'i Pacific University men's basketball head coach Tony Sellitto has been selected for induction into the Hawai'i Sports Hall of Fame as a member of its 2026 class.

Sellitto will be inducted as a contributor and coach, adding another honor to a career that left a lasting impact on basketball in Hawai'i. He remains the only basketball coach in Hawai'i history to win both a high school state championship and a collegiate national championship. 

Sellitto first reached the championship stage at Maryknoll School, where he guided the Spartans to the 1984 state championship. Nine years later, he made history at Hawai'i Pacific, leading the Sea Warriors to the 1993 NAIA National Championship. 

The 1993 championship marked the first national basketball title won by a team from Hawai'i. HPU finished the historic season with a 30-4 record and defeated top-seeded Oklahoma Baptist, 88-83, in the national championship game.

Sellitto's impact at HPU extended well beyond the championship season. During his tenure, he helped establish the program as a consistent contender while mentoring generations of student-athletes who became part of the legacy of Hawai'i Pacific basketball.

His latest recognition places him among four members of the Hawai'i Sports Hall of Fame's 2026 class. Sellitto joins skateboarding pioneer Darren Ho, surfing world champion Kelia Moniz and volleyball contributor Beth McLachlin. The class represents accomplishments across skateboarding, surfing, volleyball and basketball. 

The 2026 class will be honored at the Hawai'i Sports Hall of Fame Annual Banquet on Thursday, Aug. 13 at the Honolulu Country Club. 

For Hawai'i Pacific, Sellitto's induction celebrates a coach whose name remains connected to one of the most significant accomplishments in the history of Sharks athletics — the 1993 NAIA National Championship.