Hawaii Pacific guards West, Meza earn All-PacWest honors for Sharks
HPU guards Joshua West (4) and Quentin Meza (3) share a high five during a home contest in the Shark Tank. | Photo Credit: Michael Lasquero, HSRN
HONOLULU – Dynamic duo in the backcourt.
Hawaii Pacific University guards Joshua West and Quentin Meza became the second pair of Sharks in head coach Jesse Nakanishi’s three seasons to earn all-PacWest honors on Wednesday, seeing West named to the conference’s 1st-team while Meza earned 2nd-team honors in his first season in the islands.
It’s West’s second All-PacWest selection in two seasons with the Sharks. The 6-foot-3 guard from Chicago, Ill., led the Sharks in scoring as he averaged the fourth-most points per game in the conference this year with 17.0 points per night. West also racked up 1.9 steals per game, tied for third-most per contest in the PacWest.
He also became the first Shark to earn a place on the All-PacWest 1st-Team since Niksha Federico did it back in the 2017-18 season.
“His story is just amazing,” head coach Jesse Nakanishi said about his star senior guard. “The steps he’s taken [as a player] after betting on himself in so many ways have been awesome.”
Joshua West.
— Hawaii Pacific Men’s Basketball (@HPU_MBB) March 5, 2026
1st Team All-PacWest.
Premier player in the conference.
Only player with multiple 30+ point games this season.
Elite on both ends.
A true culture changer for the Sharks. #TheSharkWay 🦈 pic.twitter.com/dVBNO6gryX
Meza earned a spot on the All-PacWest 2nd-team after averaging 16.1 points and 3.4 assists per game in his first season with the Sharks, ranking among the top 10 players in the conference for both categories. The 6-foot guard scored 10 or more points in 16 of the Sharks’ final 17 games of the regular season, including a 30-point explosion to help HPU to a road win over Vanguard on January 31.
The junior also became the first player in head coach Jesse Nakanishi’s three-year tenure to win multiple conference Player of the Week awards, earning PacWest POTW honors in both November and the end of January for a few scoring explosions that helped the Sharks to winning weeks.
“He grabbed this opportunity by the horns and just ran with it,” Nakanishi said about Meza’s impact in his debut season in the islands. “He gets to play with a lot of freedom, and we believe in him a lot to take big shots.”
Quentin Meza — 2nd Team All-PacWest 🦈
— Hawaii Pacific Men’s Basketball (@HPU_MBB) March 5, 2026
One of the top PGs in the conference.
Bucket getter. Elite playmaker. Killer mentality.
Big time season from QBall. 🎱#TheSharkWay 🦈 pic.twitter.com/pWcDPvaIIE
The Hawaii Pacific University men’s basketball team returns to the PacWest Tournament on Thursday as the No. 4 seed, taking on No. 5 Vanguard in the quarterfinals with a date against top-seeded Point Loma awaiting the winner. The Sharks were placed seventh in the most recent NCAA West Region rankings as teams jockey for at-large bids to the NCAA Tournament.
Tip-off between the Lions and Sharks on Thursday is at 12:45 p.m. HT/2:45 p.m. PT and can be seen on the PacWest Network.
Sizzling shooting display helps Hawaii Pacific to blowout win over St. Edwards
HONOLULU – Welcome to the Splash Zone. Behind a blistering first half of long-range shooting and suffocating defensive showing, the Hawaii Pacific University men’s basketball team cruised to an 88-64 victory over St. Edwards (TX) on Friday morning...
Humble off the field, Waipahu’s Braun lets his play do the talking
There isn't much about Jayse Braun's demeanor that would suggest he's one of the most dangerous offensive weapons in Hawai‘i high school football — until he leaves defenders chasing after him in the end zone. At 5-foot-10 and 165 pounds, the...
UH Athletics Generates $753 Million in Economic Impact, $1.73 Billion in Media Exposure Value
Photo courtesy of the Office of Governor Josh GreenNew study highlights the university's economic contributions as state and business leaders call for continued investment in Hawai‘i Athletics.HONOLULU — The University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa...
Hawaii Pacific hopes to take next step despite plethora of new players
HONOLULU – Progress is not always linear, but it can be. Coming off the program’s first trip to the NCAA Tournament in nearly a decade, the Hawaii Pacific University men’s basketball team enters 2026-27 with a roster filled with fresh faces. After...
Football World Remembers June Jones: Tributes Pour In for Legendary Hawai‘i Coach
The football community is mourning the loss of legendary coach June Jones, whose impact on the University of Hawai‘i and the game of football extended far beyond the sidelines. Jones, who died at the age of 73, transformed the Rainbow Warrior...
Molokai’s Jordyn McCutcheon went Rogue and became a record-setter
HONOLULU – College decisions can be hard, especially in Hawai’i. Plenty of students think they want to leave the islands after high school. Tons of others want nothing more than to attend one of the prestigious colleges located in their home state...
Miles away in North Dakota, Rapozo still keeps Kauai in his heart
VALLEY CITY, N.D. — Thousands of miles from home, Christopher Rapozo carries Kaua‘i with him every time he steps onto the football field. The Valley City State University junior has made the journey from Kapa‘a to North Dakota, where he has earned a starting role as...
Hawai’i rains down from distance in comfortable exhibition win over HPU
HONOLULU – Sweet shooting to a win over the Sharks. The University of Hawai’i men’s basketball team enjoyed themselves in an 89-60 exhibition victory over Hawaii Pacific University on Sunday evening as the Rainbow Warriors connected on 14...
ADVERTISEMENT
