HONOLULU, Hawai'i – Hawai'i Pacific University Baseball Head Coach Dane Fujinaka announced the Sharks' coaching staff for the 2027 season, featuring a combination of continuity, internal promotions, and new additions as HPU prepares for Fujinaka's sixth season at the helm.

The 2027 staff will feature Associate Head Coach Richard Higa, Pitching Coach Zach Swanson, Assistant Coach Troy Harding, Assistant Pitching Coach Nick Espinola, undergraduate managers Jacob Vanek, Noah Hata and Isaiah Castillo, and Head of Strength & Conditioning Skyler Yamamoto.

With a veteran core returning alongside several former Sharks transitioning into coaching roles, the staff will look to continue building upon the program's recent success and player development.

Richard Higa – Associate Head Coach / Recruiting Coordinator / Director of Player Development

Richard Higa returns for his fourth season with the Sharks and will continue to serve as Associate Head Coach, Recruiting Coordinator and Director of Player Development.
A highly regarded hitting coach and recruiter, Higa oversees the program's overall player development philosophies while specializing in the offensive development of HPU's hitters. In just three seasons, Higa has helped develop 14 All-PacWest selections, eight All-Region selections and three All-Americans.

Higa has also established himself as a precise evaluator on the recruiting trail. Among his notable recruits over the past two classes are Noah Blythe, Tyler Arnold, Kan Taguchi and Noah Meaux, all of whom have gone on to earn postseason recognition during their careers at HPU.

"Ritchie was our biggest recruit this summer," Fujinaka said. "When he told me he was coming back for another year, I just about jumped out of my seat. He is so valuable to me, our program and the University. I truly believe we have the best hitting coach in the country in Ritchie. He's exceptional at communicating and articulating his thoughts in a way that connects with our players and staff. What makes that even more impactful is that our guys know he genuinely cares about their success and well-being. That's what makes him such a great coach."

Zach Swanson – Pitching Coach

Zach Swanson returns for his second season leading the Sharks' pitching staff after overseeing the best pitching season of the Fujinaka era in 2026.

In his first season at HPU, Swanson helped mentor three All-PacWest pitchers and All-Region reliever Noah Meaux, who returns to anchor the Sharks' pitching staff in 2027.

"Zach did a great job last year managing our pitchers," Fujinaka said. "He's really smart and great at what he does. His passion and energy rub off on our guys, and it's easy to come to work ready to go when you have coaches like that. I'm excited to see what he and our pitchers are able to build off of from last year."

Troy Harding – Assistant Coach / Catching

Troy Harding was promoted to Assistant Coach this summer after serving on the Sharks' staff in 2026.

Harding will oversee the catchers for the second consecutive season after working with an entirely new catching group a year ago. Three of HPU's four catchers from 2026 – Blake Helsper, Brock Wirthgen and Bruce Boucher – return in 2027, giving Harding an experienced group to continue developing.

His role will expand this season with additional responsibilities throughout the program, including coaching first base during games.

"I'm really happy for Troy," Fujinaka said. "He did a great job with a brand-new catching core last year. He has a great baseball mind and he's really eager to learn and continue getting better. His promotion is well deserved, and I think this is just the start of a bright coaching career for him."

Nick Espinola – Assistant Pitching Coach

Nick Espinola joins the Sharks as Assistant Pitching Coach after completing his collegiate playing career at Alabama A&M.

Espinola brings experience from both the junior college and NCAA Division I levels and will work alongside Swanson in the day-to-day operation of HPU's pitching development system.

He will also oversee data and analytics for the pitching staff, using information to help individualize player development plans while assisting the coaching staff with in-game strategy and preparation.

"Nick is a workhorse," Fujinaka said. "He's very blue collar and will fit right into what we're building here. I think the fact that he just finished playing will allow him to relate to our guys in a unique way. He's hungry to learn and work, and I'm looking forward to having Nick join us this fall."

Jacob Vanek – Undergraduate Manager

Former HPU pitcher Jacob Vanek will transition directly from the mound to the coaching staff as an undergraduate manager in 2027.

Vanek finished his playing career in 2026 as an All-PacWest pitcher for the Sharks. He will assist with the program's day-to-day operations while also working alongside Swanson and Espinola with the pitching staff.

"I'm really thrilled Jacob is joining our staff this fall," Fujinaka said. "He is one of the toughest-minded players I've coached. He has simply willed his way to success throughout his career, and I want our guys to be around that type of mentality every day. He already knows what's at stake and wants to continue pushing this program to the next level."

Noah Hata – Undergraduate Manager

Former Shark captain Noah Hata will also transition from player to coach in 2027 as an undergraduate manager.

A four-year starter, Hata finished his HPU career in 2026 ranked among the top 10 in numerous offensive categories in program history. After spending several seasons as one of the program's leaders, Hata will now help mentor the next generation of Sharks.

He will assist with the program's day-to-day operations while also working with HPU's outfielders.

"Noah feels like he has a lot of unfinished business with how last year ended," Fujinaka said. "He wants to see this program succeed as much as anyone. He's been a leader here for several years as a player, and I'm looking forward to seeing him continue to mentor our players from the coaching side. Having guys like Noah who have lived our standards and understand what we're trying to accomplish is extremely valuable."

Isaiah Castillo – Undergraduate Manager

Isaiah Castillo returns for his third season as the Sharks' team manager.

Castillo will continue serving as HPU's primary bullpen catcher while handling numerous responsibilities that support the program's daily operations.

"Isaiah is a Swiss Army knife," Fujinaka said. "He's extremely smart and has so many different skills. He's impacted our program in more ways than people probably realize, and it's hard to explain everything he does for us. We're really fired up to have him back for another year."

Skyler Yamamoto – Head of Strength & Conditioning

Skyler Yamamoto returns for his fourth season as Head of Strength & Conditioning for HPU Baseball.

Yamamoto programs and facilitates every aspect of the Sharks' strength and conditioning program while working closely with the coaching staff to ensure the team's physical preparation translates to performance and health on the field.

His influence also extends beyond the weight room, as Yamamoto has become an integral part of the program's leadership development, culture building and overall player development systems.

"Skyler might be the smartest person on our coaching staff," Fujinaka said. "He has so much feel and awareness for not only strength and conditioning, but all aspects of our program. He's woven into our leadership development, culture building and player development techniques. His impact goes far beyond what people see in the weight room."

Fujinaka Enters Sixth Season at the Helm

Dane Fujinaka enters his sixth season as head coach of the Sharks with a 126-119 career record. In addition to his head coaching responsibilities, Fujinaka will oversee the infielders and baserunners while transitioning back to coaching third base.

HPU finished the 2026 season 27-21, ending a four-year run of improving its win total each season but extending another important streak – a third consecutive winning season.

The Sharks finished tied for fourth in the PacWest regular-season standings but missed the postseason on a tiebreaker with Westmont.

That finish has provided added motivation entering 2027 for a program that has continued to raise its expectations.

HPU returns 21 players from its 2026 roster and will welcome 28 newcomers this fall as the Sharks begin preparations for the 2027 season.

With a staff built around continuity, player development and coaches who understand the expectations of the program, HPU enters the fall focused on taking another step forward.

Additional information on the Sharks' 2027 roster, including a breakdown of the returners and newcomers, will be announced at a later date.