Maui Sports

Two Maui wrestlers—Aukai Walsh and Taimane Mataʻafa Grove—earned the prestigious Triple Crown award at the USA Western States Wrestling Championships held in Pocatello, Idaho this past week. Both wrestlers dominated their way to gold in all three styles—Greco, freestyle and folkstyle with more than 700 wrestlers from across the West region of the United States. 

Lloyd Hisaka, a fixture in Hawaiʻi high school sports for more than half a century, was inducted Monday into the National High School Hall of Fame during a ceremony in Chicago, Ill.

University of Iowa teammates Nanea Estrella and Kylie Welker taught local wrestlers some upper level technique at two wrestling clinics Thursday and Friday.

The 2025 Golf Concepts Pro-Pro Championship — an annual player favorite on the Aloha Section PGA tournament calendar — witnessed Mid-Pacific Country Club’s Corey Kozuma and the Aloha Section PGA’s Tyler Ota birdie their first playoff hole to clinch victory on Sunday at the newly renovated Pearl at Kalauao.

The countdown is on for the 2025 Transpacific Yacht Race, which officially sets sail on Tuesday, July 1. The date marks the launch of the first wave of competitors on their 2,225-nautical mile journey from Los Angeles to Honolulu.

Hawaiʻi’s top high school cowboy and cowgirls traveled off island to compete at the Hawai’i High School Rodeo State Finals, held on Kauaʻi on June 5-8. This year, Hawaiʻi’s National Team is comprised of 25 athletes total, with seven from Team Maui. 

The Maui Mustang 10U baseball team is headed to California next month after clinching the Hawaiʻi Region Championship with a 5-4 win over Team Kauaʻi on June 16 in Hilo.

Wehiwa Aloy became the first Mauian to win the Golden Spikes Award, and he’s also likely to become the first from the Valley isle to be selected in the first round of the MLB draft.

Rodney Yap, Pat McCall and Maui County Mayor Richard Bissen were all at a youth football camp put on by the Los Angeles Rams 53 years ago, becoming part of a generation of Rams fans on Maui.

Two-time high school state champion Tyler Loree claimed the 2025 Hawai‘i State Amateur Men’s Overall Division title with a four-shot victory at even par, topping a competitive field that included his University of Hawai‘i teammates.

The Los Angeles Rams in collaboration with Hollman Lockers and design firm Forty Nine Degrees announced an initiative to support the Maui community by building new locker rooms for Lahainaluna High School in Lahaina, Maui.

The University of Hawaiʻi Board of Regents unanimously approved the appointment of Matt Elliott as UH Mānoa’s next athletics director during a special meeting on June 16. Elliott was selected by UH President Wendy Hensel following a national search that drew more than 110 applicants. His first day will be June 30, 2025.

Jaxon Grossman, a 6-4, 220-pound right-handed pitcher, took the 2024 season off before becoming a national junior college champion at Salt Lake Community College. The 2022 King Kekaulike High School graduate is likely to be selected next month in the Major League Baseball draft.

The County of Maui Department of Parks and Recreation issued a traffic advisory from 6 a.m. to noon Wednesday, June 18, 2025, for roadways surrounding War Memorial Complex and Keōpūolani Regional Park in Kahului due to the large, sold-out professional sporting event Rams Mauicamp. Also, public facilities will be closed to recreational use during the event.

The HBO series follows Hawaiʻi’s pioneering big wave surfer Garrett McNamara, now 57, as he pursues his passion around the globe.

Maui Style wrestlers came home with the prestigious honor of triple crown victories, placing gold in all three divisions of wrestling (Folk Style, Freestyle, and Greco) at the Hawaiʻi Federation USA Wrestling State Championship. This two-day event was held at Nānākuli High School on Oʻahu on June 7-8.

The World Surf League’s all-important Local Motion Surf Into Summer At Home In The Hawaiian Islands has its “likely” start on Monday, June 9.

The County of Maui’s Department of Parks and Recreation, Aquatics Division, has teamed up with Maui Swim Club to offer its annual tuition-free summer learn to swim program for youth.

A record 277 young surfers competed at the 31st annual Pohai Na Keiki Nalu on Saturday at Launiupoko Beach Park, where Kodo Fujimoto delivered the highest-scoring performance in all finals to claim the boys 12–13 shortboard title.

Kīhei Charter grad Grey Chong is racing to the top — heading to the USA Triathlon Nationals and launching a new UH Warrior Triathlon Team open to all UH students.