University of Hawaii at Hilo Men's Golf

Hawai‘i Hilo Men's Golf head coach Earl Tamiya has been the Vulcans leader for over 30 seasons, taking over the program in 1991. Tamiya's teams have seen plenty of success over the years, but his program might be best known for hosting one of the top NCAA Division I golf tournaments in the country: the Amer Ari Intercollegiate attracts many of the top programs in the country each year. At the Division II level, Tamiya's teams have won Pacific West Conference tournament titles in 2005, 2008, 2011 and 2014. The 2013 and 2009 teams finished in second place. The 2004 team also finished fourth at the NCAA Division II national championships and Vulcan golfer Nick Mason finished fourth in the medalist hunt. In 2005, UH Hilo finished fifth at the national championships and Mason was the individual runner-up, giving the Vulcans their only two-time NCAA All-American. In 2011, UHH won the team title and Blake Synder was the PWC individual champ.  The Vulcans competed in the regional tournament and were 11th at the NCAA's. In 2014 they claimed the PWC title, finished second at the NCAA regional tournament and were 13th at the national championships. Four different times, Tamiya's teams have won three tournaments during the season--in 2013, 2008, 2005 and 2011. Earl's son Troy is an assistant coach with the Vulcan team. Earl and his wife Donna are also the proud parents of daughter Tracy. HAWAI‘I HILO MEN'S GOLF (Tap to Expand/Collapse) TAMIYA VULCANS MEN'S GOLF CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIPS SEASON CONFERENCE FINISH NOTES 2003-04 NCAA National Championships Individual Fourth Place  NCAA Northwest/West Super Regional Sixth Place 2004-05 NCAA National Championships Individual Runner-Up NCAA National Championships Fifth Place NCAA West Regional Third Place 2005-06 NCAA Northwest/West Super Regional 2006-07 Team: Fourth Place IND: Fifth Place NCAA West Regional Eighth Place PacWest Championships Fourth Place 2007-08 Team: First Place IND: First Place NCAA Northwest/West Super Regional 8th Place PacWest Conference Champions PacWest Individual Champion 2008-09 Team: Second Place IND: Second Place NCAA Central/West Regional 14th Place PacWest Championships Runner-Up (4) All-PacWest Team Selections 2009-10 Team: Fourth Place IND: Sixth Place NCAA Central/West Regional 11th Place PacWest Championships Fourth Place (1) All-PacWest Team Selection 2010-11 Team: First Place IND: First Place NCAA National Championships 11th Place NCAA Central/West Regional Fifth Place PacWest Conference Champions PacWest Individual Champion PacWest Co-Player of the Year PacWest Freshman of the Year (3) All-PacWest Team Selections 2011-12 Team: Third Place IND: 10th Place NCAA Central/West Regional Eighth Place PacWest Championships Third Place PacWest Conference Coach of the Year PacWest Co-Player of the Year (4) All-PacWest Team Selections 2012-13 Team: Second Place IND: Second Place PacWest Championships Runner-Up PacWest Conference Coach of the Year PacWest Co-Player of the Year (4) All-PacWest Team Selections 2013-14 Team: First Place IND: Third Place NCAA National Championships 13th Place NCAA South Central/West Regional Runner-Up PacWest Conference Champions (4) All-PacWest Team Selections 2014-15 Team: Fifth Place IND: Seventh Place (2) All-PacWest Team Selections 2015-16 Team: Fifth Place IND: 13th Place (2) All-PacWest Team Selections 2016-17 Team: Sixth Place IND: 18th Place (2) All-PacWest Team Selections 2017-18 Team: Fifth Place IND: Fifth Place (1) All-PacWest Team Selection 2018-19 Team: Fourth Place IND: Fourth Place PacWest Player of the Year PacWest Freshman of the Year (1) All-PacWest Team Selection 2020-21 Team: Second Place IND: Sixth Place PacWest Championships Runner-Up (4) All-PacWest Team Selections 2021-22 Team: Second Place IND: Third Place PacWest Championships Runner-Up (3) All-PacWest Team Selections 2022-23 Team: First Place IND: First Place NCAA South Central/West Regional 19th Place PacWest Conference Champions PacWest Indiviudal Co-Champions PacWest Conference Coach of the Year PacWest Player of the Year PacWest Freshman of the Year (4) All-PacWest Team Selections 2023-24 Team: First Place IND: First Place NCAA South Central/West Regional 16th Place PacWest Conference Champions PacWest Individual Champion PacWest Conference Coach of the Year (6) All-PacWest Team Selections 2024-25 Team: First Place IND: First Place NCAA South Central/West Regional 16th Place PacWest Conference Champions PacWest Individual Champion PacWest Conference Coach of the Year (5) All-PacWest Team Selections - Seasons - 13 Championships 13 Major Awards COACHING CAREER » 2024-25 PacWest Conference Coach of the Year » 2024-25 PacWest Conference Champions » 2024-25 PacWest Conference Individual Champion: Dylan Bercan » 2023-24 PacWest Conference Coach of the Year » 2023-24 PacWest Conference Champions » 2023-24 PacWest Conference Individual Champion: Nicholas Gomez » 2022-23 PacWest Conference Coach of the Year » 2022-23 PacWest Conference Champions » 2022-23 PacWest Conference Individual Co-Champions: Andrew Otani + Junsu Im » 2013-14 NCAA South Central/West Regional Runner-Up » 2013-14 PacWest Conference Champions » 2012-13 PacWest Conference Coach of the Year » 2011-12 PacWest Conference Coach of the Year » 2010-11 PacWest Conference Champions » 2010-11 PacWest Conference Individual Champion: Blake Synder » 2007-08 PacWest Conference Champions » 2007-08 PacWest Conference Individual Champion: Zady Ari » 2004-05 NCAA Division II National Championships Individual Runner-Up: Nick Mason » 2004-05 NCAA Division II National Championships No. 5 Finish » 2004-05 PacWest Conference Coach of the Year » 2004-05 PacWest Conference Champions » 2003-04 NCAA Division II National Championships Individual No. 4 Finish: Nick Mason PLAYERS' ACCOLADES » 2024-25 Hawai‘i Hilo Male Athlete of the Year: Dylan Bercan » 2023-24 Hawai‘i Hilo Male Athlete of the Year: Nicholas Gomez » 2022-23 PacWest Conference Player of the Year: Andrew Otani » 2022-23 PacWest Conference Freshman of the Year: Junsu Im » 2018-19 PacWest Conference Player of the Year: Jared Kinoshita » 2018-19 PacWest Conference Freshman of the Year: Andrew Otani » 2014-15 Hawai‘i Hilo Male Athlete of the Year: Dalen Yamauchi » 2013-14 Hawai‘i Hilo Male Athlete of the Year: Corey Kozuma » 2012-13 Hawai‘i Hilo Male Athlete of the Year: Corey Kozuma » 2012-13 PacWest Conference Co-Player of the Year: Corey Kozuma » 2011-12 Hawai‘i Hilo Male Athlete of the Year: Jamie Hall » 2011-12 PacWest Conference Co-Player of the Year: Jamie Hall » 2011-12 PacWest Conference Newcomer of the Year: Jamie Hall » 2010-11 PacWest Conference Co-Player of the Year: Blake Snyder » 2010-11 PacWest Conference Freshman of the Year: Blake Snyder » 2004-05 Hawai‘i Hilo Athlete of the Year: Nick Mason » 2004-05 PacWest Conference Player of the Year: Nick Mason » 2003-04 Hawai‘i Hilo Athlete of the Year: Nick Mason PERSONAL » Hometown: Maui CAREER 1991-Present: University of Hawai‘i at Hilo MEDIA » Coaching suits him to a tee (Sept. 2022) - Honolulu Star-Advertiser

Jim DeMello is the only coach Hawai‘i Hilo Women's Golf has ever known, having started the program in 2004-05. The O‘ahu native was the Hawai‘i Hilo Men's Golf coach from 1981-91 where the Vulcans went to the NAIA National Tournament five times, finishing eighth in the country twice. Deron Doi earned All-American honors in 1985. HAWAI‘I HILO WOMEN'S GOLF RECORD (Tap to Expand/Collapse) DEMELLO VULCANS WOMEN'S GOLF SEASON CONFERENCE FINISH NOTES 2004-05 2005-06 No. 22 Highest National Ranking 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 2013-14 NCAA Super Regional PacWest Conference Champions No. 23 Highest National Ranking PacWest Conference Co-Coach of the Year 2014-15 WGCA All-American Scholar 2015-16 WGCA All-American Scholar (x2) 2016-17 WGCA All-American Scholar (x2) 2017-18 2018-19 2019-20 - COVID-19 Pandemic 2020-21 2021-22 2022-23 PacWest Freshman of the Year 2023-24 2024-25 21 Seasons 3 Championships 7 Major Awards YEAR-BY-YEAR (Tap to Expand/Collapse) 2022-23: Kiersten Saludares finished tied at No. 10 at the PacWest Conference Championship and was later voted as PacWest Conference Freshman of the Year. COACHING CAREER » 2024-25 Hawai‘i Hilo Ramon Goya Academic Team of the Year » 2023-24 PacWest Conference Individual Champion: Kiersten Saludares » 2013-14 PacWest Conference Champions » NAIA National Tournament Appearances (x5) (Men's Golf) PLAYERS' ACCOLADES » 2023-24 Hawai‘i Hilo Female Athlete of the Year: Kiersten Saludares ALMA MATER » Saint Louis School (Hawai‘i) » New Mexico Highlands University 1970 - B.A. Physical Education » New Mexico Highlands University 1973 - M.A. Higher Education » New Mexico Highlands University 1973 - M.A. Guidance and Counseling PERSONAL » Hometown: Honolulu, Hawai‘i » Has two children » Served in the U.S. Army in 1970 and 1971 COMMITTEES » NCAA Division II Women's Golf Legislation Committee (2008-2013) CAREER 2004-Present: University of Hawai‘i at Hilo (Women's HC) Previous-2012: University of Hawai‘i at Hilo (Assistant + Associate Athletics Director) 1981-1991: University of Hawai‘i at Hilo (Men's HC) Previous: University of Hawai‘i at Hilo (Counselor) Previous: State of Hawai‘i Governor's Liaison Office

Kevin Ginoza, the Director of Golf at the Waikoloa Beach Golf Resort, begins his fourth season of working with the Vulcans men's golf program in 2020-21. A former Vulcan player and UH Hilo graduate, Ginoza served as the Vulcans' team captain his senior year. He began his post-collegiate golf career as an assistant pro at Waikoloa in 1998. He served in that role through 2005, and came back to Waikoloa as the head pro in 2011. He was also the head pro at Makalei Golf Club for seven years.  

Sean Maekawa began working with UH Hilo men's golf program in 2019-20 as a volunteer assistant coach. Maekawa is the assistant pro at Waikoloa Beach Resort. He played four seasons collegiately at the University of Oregon (2008-11), and spent time on the PGA mini-tour after that.  Maekawa prepped at Honokaa High School, winning four BIIF titles. He also won the Hawaii state title in 2007.  He now lives in Waiamea.