Posted on: Wednesday, May 10, 2006
HOMEGROWN REPORT
Dignam gets to run another day
By Leila Wai
Advertiser Staff Writer
Lauran Dignam's NCAA regional-qualifying mark and school-record setting time meant more than just a fast race.
The University of Washington senior sprinter ran the 400-meter dash in 54.31 seconds at a dual meet with Washington State on April 29.
"(The regional mark) is awesome because I qualified, so I get to have one more meet," said Dignam, whose last scheduled meet was the Pacific-10 Conference Championships this weekend.
The 2002 Iolani graduate from 'Aina Haina set the UW record by one-tenth of a second, breaking her old record.
"I've wanted to do both, so they're both equally important," Dignam said of setting a school mark and qualifying for regionals.
Both records were set at Washington State, and "my teammates were saying there must be something about the track that I like," Dignam said.
She's been having "some really awesome practices recently" and decided not to overanalyze what she was doing at the meets.
Her next goal is to run in the 53-second range.
"With my practices it shows that I'm supposed to be," she said. "Mentally, I feel really strong. It's a positive atmosphere."
SOFTBALL
Portland State junior left fielder Kimi Daniel (Sacred Hearts '03) hit a walk-off home run in the bottom of the seventh inning of a 3-2 victory over Oregon on May 3.
Brigham Young senior first baseman Ianeta Le'i (Iolani '02) tied the school's single-season record by hitting her 20th home run in the second game of a doubleheader with UNLV Saturday. BYU won 10-0 and 12-6.
Le'i also homered in the first game, along with sophomore center fielder Emi Snow (Kamehameha '04).
FOOTBALL
Navy quarterback Kaipo-Noa Kaheaku-Enhada (Kapolei '04) rushed for two touchdowns and 195 yards and completed 3 of 7 passes for 43 yards at the spring game. His touchdown runs were 72 and 10 yards.
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
Washington University (St. Louis) freshman guard Shanna-Lei Dacanay (Punahou '05) received the school's Rookie of the Year Award at a recent student-athlete banquet.
Dacanay appeared in all 28 games this season en route to earning UAA Rookie of the Year and DIII News All-Freshman honors.
TENNIS
UC Irvine freshman Heidi Kaloi (Kamehameha '05) was named to the Big West second team in doubles.
BASEBALL
Washington State senior designated hitter Zach McAngus (Kamehameha '02) homered in the eighth inning of a 6-5 win over Utah Valley State Monday.
Lewis and Clark (Ore.) sophomore shortstop Jordan Shibata ('Aiea '04) was named to the Northwest Conference second team, and Willamette (Ore.) junior first baseman Grant Yamaguchi (Mid-Pacific '03 of 'Aiea) was an honorable mention pick.
Linfield (Ore.) senior left-hander Kyle Nakamichi (Moanalua '02) made his first career start in his last game Sunday. He was the winning pitcher in a 7-2 victory over Concordia (Ore.)
BOWLING
Fresno State's Ivan Miyasato ('Aiea '01) was named to the National Collegiate Bowling Coaches Association Honorable Mention All-America team, and Chad Uyehara (Hawai'i Baptist '03) was named to the NCBCA Academic All-America team.
COMMITMENTS
Highland Community College (Kan.) sophomore outfielder Dylan Libadisos ('Aiea '04) signed a letter of intent to play for Northwestern State (La.).
He was named the Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference Eastern Division Most Valuable Player this past season after batting .385 with 13 home runs.
Tom Culver (Maryknoll '05) signed with the men's soccer team at Vanguard University in Costa Mesa, Calif., according to his father. Culver played for Cuyamaca College in El Cajon, Calif., last season.
Reach Leila Wai at lwai@honoluluadvertiser.com.
