MEDIA RELEASE

University of Hawaii at Manoa baseball coach Mike Trapasso will be the speaker at the Annual University of Hawaii at Hilo Vulcan Baseball Dinner-Auction Fundraiser.

This year’s event is set for Sunday, January 17 in the UHH Campus Center Dining Hall with the silent auction beginning at 5 p.m. and the program/dinner beginning at 6 p.m.

During his eight-year tenure, Trapasso has led the Warriors to six winning seasons. He has been honored twice as Western Athletic Conference Coach of the Year and earned 2006 National Baseball Foundation Coach of the Year recognition for leading the Warriors to a 45-17 record and an NCAA regional berth.

“Since we moved to the NCAA Division II, our programs have not had the opportunity to play each other and so I wanted our boosters to be able to meet Coach Trap up and personal,” said UHH baseball coach Joey Estrella. “I am honored that he took the time away from his busy schedule preparing for the new season to be with us that evening.”

The event augments UH Hilo baseball’s operational budget.

“Moving to the Pacific West Conference has been quite exciting and very competitive for Vulcan Baseball,” said Estrella. “We now have an opportunity to play for a conference championship and earn recognition for our outstanding play.”

Last year, outfielder Keoni Manago was voted PacWest Player of the Year.

“Conference play, however, demands more overall travel and this fundraising event is critical to Vulcan Baseball who has had to shoulder much of the cost of mainland travel the last several years,” said Estrella.

Tickets for the event are $60 while corporate tables of six ($360) or eight ($480) are also available.

Contact the Vulcan baseball office at 808-974-7700 or josephe@hawaii.edu for tickets or reservations.

Deadline for reservations is January 12.