Posted on: Thursday, June 10, 2004

Uchima collects four UH awards

Advertiser Staff

Tracie Uchima swept nearly all of the University of Hawai'i softball postseason awards.

The right fielder from Torrance, Calif., received the Offensive Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, Coaches Award and Scholar-Athlete honors. It was the first time in the program's history that one player won four of the five postseason awards handed out by the team.

Uchima, who was recently named All-Western Athletic Conference first team for the second straight year, was the only Rainbow Wahine to start all 61 games at one position and bat in the same spot as the leadoff hitter.

The only award Uchima did not receive was Pitcher of the Year, and that went to Shannon Tabion. A three-time WAC Pitcher of the Week from Wailuku, Maui, the right-hander led the pitching staff with a 16-10 record and a 1.99 earned run average.

The Rainbow Wahine finished the season at 28-33 overall and 10-14 in conference play. It was only the second time UH has finished under .500 overall under coach Bob Coolen.