University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo pitcher Blake Saucedo has been named the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association Division II West Region Pitcher of the Week following his nine-inning complete-game shutout performance in a 3–0 victory over Hawaiʻi Pacific University (HPU), May 1.

Saucedo made his second start of the season in the series-opening game against HPU, tossing all nine innings with six hits, two walks and four hit batsmen surrendered while striking out seven batters.

“It’s just the best outing I’ve had in my career for sure,” Saucedo said. “I finished the sixth inning and was like, ‘Okay, let me get seven for a quality start,’ and then I was like, ‘Okay, let me go to eight.’ I struck out the side in the eighth. I was like, ‘Why not one more?’ The coaches asked me how I was feeling—I was like, ‘Coach, you don’t even gotta ask me. I’m ready to go.’”

Saucedo was also selected as the Pacific West Conference Pitcher of the Week for the final week of the regular season.

Read more at Hiloathletics.com.

This week’s UH News Image of the Week is from UH Mānoa’s Patrick Williams, of the College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resilience (CTAHR).

Williams shared: “A team of researchers and students harvested rice at CTAHR‘s Waimānalo station as part of exploring if Hawaiʻi can grow rice again. Rice is a local tradition, but instead of growing it in the islands, we import more than 100 million pounds of it a year.”

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A big mahalo to everyone who has sent in their images! If selected, they will be posted throughout the semester, so check back to see the amazing work, research and experiences of the UH ʻohana!

Want to get in on the action? The next UH News Image of the Week could be yours! Submit a photo, drawing, painting, digital illustration of a project you are working on, a moment from a field research outing or a beautiful and/or interesting shot of a scene on your campus. It could be a class visit during which you see an eye-catching object or scene.

• Send your image using a UH email address.

Please include a brief description of the image and its connection to your campus, class assignment or other UH connection. By submitting your image, you are giving UH News permission to publish your photo on the UH News website and UH social media accounts. The image must be your original work, and anyone featured in your image needs to give consent to its publication.

The University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo softball team placed three players on the All-PacWest Conference postseason awards list, as the Vulcans prepare for the conference tournament.

Left fielder Lexie Tilton headlined the group, repeating as PacWest Defender of the Year while also earning All-PacWest Second Team honors. Tilton became part of a growing tradition under head coach Aisha Sueda, marking the program’s fourth Defender of the Year selection since 2022. She previously earned All-PacWest recognition in 2024 and 2025.

Pitcher Janessa Santos was named to the All-PacWest First Team after a dominant season in the circle. Santos ranked among the conference’s top five in multiple pitching categories, including a league-best .174 opposing batting average.

Right fielder Rayna White rounded out Hilo’s honorees with an All-PacWest Second Team selection, leading the Vulcans offensively. White also earned second team recognition in 2024.

The four-team PacWest Championships run May 5–7 in La Mirada, California, with the Vulcans opening tournament play against Biola on May 5.

Read more at Hiloathletics.com.

University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo baseball’s Blake Saucedo was selected as the Pacific West Conference Pitcher of the Week after tossing a nine-inning complete-game shutout against Hawaiʻi Pacific University (HPU) in the Vulcans’ regular-season series finale.

Saucedo made his second consecutive start in his 10th appearance on the mound this season going the entire nine innings with no runs allowed in a 3-0 victory to open the four-game series. Saucedo surrendered just six hits, two walks and four hit batsmen while tallying up seven strikeouts along with two putouts and one assist.

This marked the third shutout of the season by the Vulcans—and the only one to go nine innings—as well as the fourth time this season that HPU had been kept off the scoreboard.

The Vulcans also claimed victory in game two for the doubleheader sweep to help eliminate HPU from qualifying for the four-team PacWest Championships postseason tournament.

UH Hilo ended its season at 18-29 overall with a 17-25 record in PacWest play to finish No. 9 in the conference.

Read more at Hiloathletics.com.

Graduates from across the University of Hawaiʻi 10-campus system will be celebrated this spring, starting May 9 and ending May 16.<.p>
Meet more amazing UH graduates

Thousands of graduates will celebrate at the ceremonies with family and friends. We ask that attendees and residents near the events plan ahead for traffic before and after the ceremonies.

Saturday, May 9

University of Hawaiʻi–West Oʻahu
Time: 9 a.m.
Location: UH Mānoa, Bankoh Arena at Stan Sheriff Center
Commencement website
Livestream link (will become active during the ceremony)

Thursday, May 14

UH Maui College
Time: 5:30 p.m.
Location: UH Maui College Great Lawn
Commencement website
Livestream link

Friday, May 15

Kapiʻolani Community College
Program breakdown by ceremony

Time: 11 a.m.
Location: Diamond Head Theatre
Commencement website
Livestream link

Time: 2 p.m.
Location: Diamond Head Theatre
Commencement website
Livestream link

Time: 5 p.m.
Location: Diamond Head Theatre
Commencement website
Livestream link

Kauaʻi Community College
Time: 4:30 p.m.
Location: Kauaʻi CC, lawn near Hawaiian Studies/Social Sciences Building
Commencement website
Livestream link

Leeward Community College
Time: 5 p.m.
Location: Puʻuloa Campus, Tuthill Courtyard
Commencement website
Livestream link

Windward Community College
Time: 5 p.m.
Location: Windward CC, Hale ʻĀkoakoa
Commencement website
Livestream link

Hawaiʻi Community College
Time: 6 p.m.
Location: Edith Kanakaʻole Tennis Stadium
Commencement website

Honolulu Community College
Time: 6 p.m.
Location: Waikiki Shell
Commencement website

Saturday, May 16

University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo
Time: 9 a.m.
Location: Edith Kanakaʻole Multipurpose Stadium
Commencement website

University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa

Time: 9 a.m.
Location: UH Mānoa, Bankoh Arena at Stan Sheriff Center
Commencement website
Livestream link (will become active during the ceremony)
College of Arts, Languages & Letters
College of Natural Sciences
College of Social Sciences
College of Tropical Agriculture & Human Resilience
Hawaiʻinuiākea School of Hawaiian Knowledge
Interdisciplinary Studies
School of Ocean & Earth Science & Technology

Time: 3:30 p.m.
Location: UH Mānoa, Bankoh Arena at Stan Sheriff Center
Commencement website
Livestream link (will become active during the ceremony)
College of Education
College of Engineering
John A. Burns School of Medicine
School of Nursing & Dental Hygiene
School of Architecture
Shidler College of Business
Thompson School of Social Work & Public Health

Hawaiʻi Community College–Pālamanui
Time: 4 p.m.
Location: Hawaiʻi CC Pālamanui Campus, Pānini Lanai
Commencement website

Hawaiʻi’s isolated and unique island ecosystem makes the state especially vulnerable to invasive species, which can cause major damage to the environment, agriculture and public health. That is why federal, state and private funders are turning to the University of Hawaiʻi for solutions.

UH researchers are currently leading 98 grant-funded projects totaling more than $33.5 million to combat invasive species. The work targets some of the state’s most urgent challenges, including rapid ʻōhiʻa death, invasive mosquitoes that spread avian malaria, destructive food crop plant pests, invasive ants and beetles, and non-native plants and animals that damage forests and watersheds. Together, the projects aim to protect drinking water sources, food production, cultural resources and native ecosystems and species found nowhere else in the world.

The funding includes 44 federal awards totaling $21,050,427 and 54 non-federal awards totaling $12,494,933. Projects are led by researchers at UH Mānoa and UH Hilo and involve partnerships with national and state agencies.

“These awards reflect the trust that agencies have in UH to protect Hawaiʻi’s people, environment and economy,” said UH Interim Vice President for Research and Innovation Chad Walton. “You can see the damage coconut rhinoceros beetles leave behind, or how native birds are being wiped out by multiple invasive threats. Our UH teams are conducting research to develop practical solutions that protect both our environment and our communities.”

Protecting birds, forests, farms, communities

Several large projects focus on protecting native forest birds by reducing populations of invasive mosquitoes that carry avian malaria. Others use satellite imagery and remote sensing (technology that gathers data from aircraft or space) to track forest health and detect invasive plants early, when they are easier and less expensive to control.

Researchers are also developing new molecular diagnostic tools—lab methods that use DNA to identify species—to quickly detect fruit flies, moths and plant pathogens that threaten local farms. Additional projects support fencing and removal efforts to keep invasive animals out of sensitive ecosystems, as well as testing new pest control tools that reduce reliance on traditional insecticides.

Some of the active invasive species projects:

• $5,343,414—Suppression of non-native mosquito populations in key forest bird habitats of East Maui (UH Mānoa)
• $2,562,586—Protect unique park ecosystems through exclusionary fencing (UH Mānoa)
• $2,250,000—Analysis of satellite imagery and meteorological data for forest health (UH Hilo)
• $1,393,541—Protecting endangered native birds on Kauaʻi from avian malaria (UH Mānoa)
• $1,361,016—Preventing coconut rhinoceros beetles from spreading in the Hawaiian Islands
• $789,777—Understanding how Phytophthora palmivora attacks plants to protect crops and ecosystems (UH Mānoa)
• $651,084—Using mosquito biology to suppress avian malaria and protect endangered honeycreepers on Kauaʻi (UH Mānoa)
• $600,580—Refine control and treatment methods for ecosystem-altering invasive plants at Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park (UH Mānoa)
• $200,000—Outreach, surveillance and treatment of little fire ant infestations (UH Mānoa)
• $34,500—Initial studies to control coffee berry borer (UH Mānoa)

Beginning in summer 2026, all University of Hawaiʻi online classes—including hybrid courses with an online component—will be delivered through Lamakū, the university’s official learning management system (LMS).

The change, required by university policy adopted on April 1, 2026, is designed to strengthen the student experience across UH‘s 10 campuses while improving data security and systemwide support for teaching and learning.

Providing students with single point of reference

Using a single LMS provides students with a consistent point of access for course materials, communication and grades, regardless of campus or department. This reduces the number of different platforms students must navigate and supports stronger engagement and success in online learning environments.

“Moving to a single learning management system makes it easier for students to stay organized and engaged in their courses, while also giving faculty a secure, well-supported platform for teaching,” said Kim Siegenthaler, senior advisor to UH President Wendy Hensel. “Lamakū strengthens consistency across our campuses and helps ensure that both students and instructors have the tools they need for a successful learning experience.”

The move also enhances protection of student information. Lamakū meets UH Information Security policies and applicable data privacy requirements, significantly reducing the risk of security breaches involving course materials, grades and other sensitive information.

Faculty may continue using third-party instructional tools when appropriate, but those tools must meet UH policy requirements and be integrated through Lamakū.

Lamakū: Lighting the path for learning

The Hawaiian word lamakū means torch—the same torch represented in the UH logo—and symbolizes education and enlightenment, lamakū o ka naʻauao. The platform reflects UH‘s ongoing commitment to advancing teaching and learning through modern, secure and student-centered technology across the system.

This week’s UH News Image of the Week is from Honolulu Community College’s Shannon Fritz.

Fritz shares: Everybody chill. Students in the Honolulu CC Refrigeration & Air Conditioning Program get hands-on experience with a water-cooled chiller system after attending the Hawaii Buildings, Facilities, & Property Management Expo. Clockwise from far left: Jeremy Jennings, Professor Steven Chow, Joe Grummon, Pohaku Kaye, Awa Yerhot, D’Sean Watson, and Sage Le Akina.”

Previous Images
J-Pop Demon Killaz
Bash splash
Mōʻī Wahine
Cleaning up
Through the water
All Images of the Week

Send us your image!

A big mahalo to everyone who has sent in their images! If selected, they will be posted throughout the semester, so check back to see the amazing work, research and experiences of the UH ʻohana!

Want to get in on the action? The next UH News Image of the Week could be yours! Submit a photo, drawing, painting, digital illustration of a project you are working on, a moment from a field research outing or a beautiful and/or interesting shot of a scene on your campus. It could be a class visit during which you see an eye-catching object or scene.

• Send your image using a UH email address.

Please include a brief description of the image and its connection to your campus, class assignment or other UH connection. By submitting your image, you are giving UH News permission to publish your photo on the UH News website and UH social media accounts. The image must be your original work, and anyone featured in your image needs to give consent to its publication.

Maui Komohana

—West; Western Maui.

More ʻŌlelo of the Week

“Kaulana nui loa ʻo Mokuʻula i Maui Komohana i kona kapu loa. (Mokuʻula Western Maui is very famous due to its sacredness.)”

—Melelani Seiki, he haumāna ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi (Hawaiian language student), Ke Kulanui Kaiāulu o Honolulu a me Ke Kulanui Kaiāulu o Maui (Honolulu Community College and UH Maui College)

For more information on other elements of the definition and usage, go to the UH Hilo Wehewehe Wikiwiki.

Born and raised in Hilo, Hawaiʻi, Jaydee Ah Sing’s decision to attend the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo wasn’t just a choice—it was a calling. A proud graduate of Waiākea High School, Ah Sing is deeply rooted in her community.

“I only applied to UH Hilo,” she shared with a laugh. “I love it here in Hawaiʻi, and I couldn’t imagine myself anywhere else.”

This spring, Ah Sing crosses the stage as a Chancellor Scholar, graduating with a bachelor of arts in history and an educational certificate. Her journey demonstrates the profound impact of UH Hilo’s close-knit academic environment, where local students can flourish and give back to the very islands that raised them.

Turning point

Ah Sing’s path shifted from pediatric medicine to education after discovering she was uneasy around blood. Her mentors, professors Kerri Inglis and Michele Ebersole, helped guide her to her true passion. She ultimately pursued history, leaning into her deep love for the subject.

Her dedication has led to remarkable achievements. Ah Sing recently won the Best Undergraduate Paper Prize at the Phi Alpha Theta regional conference in Hawaiʻi. Her senior thesis challenged established narratives about the iconic Kalaupapa Lighthouse. After a profound field study experience in Kalaupapa with Inglis, Ah Sing discovered moʻolelo (stories) of Bokikūmanomano, a shape-shifting dog protector of the peninsula.

Meet more amazing UH graduates

“There was this entire history that people of Molokaʻi seem to know about, but others don’t get to experience because it had been displaced by this western form of historiography, which is history written by historians,” explained Ah Sing, who went to Kalaupapa over Spring Break and discovered evidence of the remnants of a heiau honoring Boki.

Service driven

Ah Sing’s passion for Hawaiian history and education translates directly into her career goals. Since high school, she has worked as a paraprofessional tutor at Keaʻau Elementary School, serving underprivileged students.

“I want to be the kind of teacher who goes above and beyond for my students,” she said.

She won’t have to wait long to achieve that dream. This July, Ah Sing will begin the Master of Arts in Teaching program at UH Hilo.

For more, go to Kūkala Nūhou.