Given the remote location, not just as an island university, but as a member of the Pacific West Conference, it has always been the hope of the University of Hawaii at Hilo athletics department that a groundswell of talent would emerge here on the Big Island, giving local players a chance to develop at the NCAA level while not breaking the school’s finances for those costly scouting trips to California.
Something like that has a chance to develop for the Vulcans in men’s soccer, where the 2016-17 recruiting class of 13 players — 7 college freshmen and 6 community college transfers — includes two players from Hilo High School, coached by former Vulcan George Ichimaru.