Irimata Goes the Distance as Rainbow Wahine Open 2026 With Win

Irimata Goes the Distance as Rainbow Wahine Open 2026 With Win

Feb 6, 2026

Hawaii Softball pitcher Taryn Irimata celebrates. | Photo by Michael Lasquero/HSRN

Irimata Goes the Distance as Rainbow Wahine Open 2026 With Win

BY HSRN STAFF | HONOLULU
PUBLISHED FEBRUARY 6, 2026

MANOA – The Hawai‘i Rainbow Wahine opened the 2026 season with a gritty 2–1 victory over the Seattle U Redhawks on Thursday night, earning head coach Panita Thanatharn her first win in her debut at the helm of the program.

Hawai‘i struck early in the bottom of the first inning when Milan Ah Yat delivered a two-run single, bringing home Cierra Yamamoto and pinch runner Rhea Furtado. The early cushion proved decisive in a tightly contested pitchers’ duel that followed.

From there, the game belonged to Taryn Irimata inside the circle. Making her first appearance in a Rainbow Wahine uniform after returning home, Irimata went the distance, tossing a complete game while allowing just one run on three hits. She worked through traffic, issuing three walks, but limited damage and finished with two strikeouts over seven innings to secure the win.

Seattle U’s lone run came in the fourth inning following a two-out walk that later turned into a run, a moment Thanatharn pointed to as a teaching opportunity rather than a turning point.

“Walks kill us,” Thanatharn said postgame. “I just wanted to remind her it was her game — attack the hitters and trust your defense”.

Thanatharn acknowledged the emotions surrounding her debut, calling the win meaningful but crediting the collective effort behind it.

“A W is always good, but I’m just very grateful for this opportunity to lead this team,” Thanatharn said. “These players have been working their butts off, as has our staff. It’s just fun to finally play somebody else”.

Offensively, Hawai‘i collected four hits, including singles from Abby Sasaki and Ellyanna Cinzori, but struggled to build momentum after the opening frame. Thanatharn noted the team became “a little cold” at the plate, emphasizing the need to sustain pressure as the season progresses.

For Irimata, the night was about more than just the stat line. After returning home and stepping back into competition following injury, the senior described the moment as both emotional and validating.

Irimata spent the previous two seasons at Nevada and received a medical redshirt in 2025, making her complete-game performance in her Rainbow Wahine debut all the more meaningful.

“I’m just proud of us for staying through it,” Irimata said. “We work really hard every day, and I think it just paid off. Playing at home in front of my family — it was a game changer”.

She also credited Thanatharn’s steady presence during key moments, including a brief mid-inning visit that helped her refocus down the stretch.

“She just reminded me this was my game,” Irimata said. “What I was doing was working. Even if it wasn’t my best day, nothing changed”

Hawai‘i improves to 1–0 on the season, while Seattle U drops to 1–1. The Rainbow Wahine will continue opening-week in the Bank of Hawai’i Paradise Classic with matchups against North Dakota and Pacific on Friday.

Win streak hits six as Hawai’i swiftly sweeps San Jose State

Win streak hits six as Hawai’i swiftly sweeps San Jose State

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HONOLULU – Someone tell Joshua Walker to keep his dancing shoes handy. The University of Hawai’i women’s volleyball team continued a perfect start to conference play on Saturday night, slicing through San Jose State (6-10, 1-5 Mountain West) in...

Arizona State rolls along as Hawai’i road rally falls short

Arizona State rolls along as Hawai’i road rally falls short

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The seeds of competence were there. The University of Hawai’i football team traveled to Tempe, took an early lead for the first time in a month and slowly unraveled afterwards on the way to a 30-12 loss to Arizona State (3-2) on Saturday night....

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Mana Wahine: Hawaii Softball shortstop Milan Ah Yat

Mana Wahine: Hawaii Softball shortstop Milan Ah Yat

Feb 2, 2026

Photo Credit: HSRN

Mana Wahine: Hawaii Softball shortstop Milan Ah Yat

BY PAUL BRECHT | HONOLULU
PUBLISHED FEBRUARY 2, 2026

HONOLULU – Being a successful athlete in the Ah Yat family is nothing new.

University of Hawai’i junior shortstop Milan Ah Yat is the daughter of a former pro baseball player, the niece of a University of Montana athletics Hall of Famer and granddaughter of a Linfield University athletics Hall of Famer.

As if her high school resume didn’t already speak for itself, Ah Yat has continued that line of success in athletics after enjoying a strong first season back in the islands in 2025, earning All-Big West honorable mention recognition after starting all 53 games for the Rainbow Wahine and hitting .277 with five home runs, seven doubles and 28 runs batted in.

She was even better in clutch moments, delivering a trio of walk-off hits over the course of her sophomore campaign, including a two-run homer against Utah Tech in the bottom of the eighth inning to finish the 2025 Spring Fling on a high note for Hawai’i.

Ah Yat credits her dad for her pursuit of softball at a higher level. The daughter of former University of Hawai’i baseball left-handed pitcher and Pittsburgh Pirates minor leaguer Paul Ah Yat, the junior can’t remember many times that she had the ability to play on a diamond that her father wasn’t pushing her to use it.

“My dad had me playing tee ball since I could pick up a bat,” said Ah Yat, who is the middle of three siblings. “Naturally, my dad just wanted to put me in baseball. So, I played baseball until middle school, and I took a break … I joined the high school softball team at UH Lab, the Pac-Five team, and finally after that, I got more into [focusing on] softball.”

That focus helped her to an elite prep career on the diamond, leading Pac-Five to the ILH Division II title as a junior and the Division II HHSAA state championship as a senior while winning league Player of the Year honors in both seasons.

Playing for the Pac-Five program brought a variety of challenges that were a bit unusual for many high school athletes. Made up of players from a variety of schools, Ah Yat and her teammates made a habit of carpooling to the different fields that were available for the group to practice at each day.

With different girls coming from all over with a variety of differing day-to-day activities, Ah Yat tried to help bring the team closer together in the limited time that they got with each other and got to develop her leadership skills all throughout her high school career.

The four-year letterwinner in softball recalled that goal going smoothest in her high school junior and senior seasons, not-so-coincidentally the two best seasons that the team enjoyed on the diamond in her tenure.

“Having all of those girls there with me definitely contributed to my individual success as well,” Ah Yat said of teammates from high school. “Having all of that support and everyone being one [was so important].”

Ah Yat spent her college freshman season away from the islands, originally committing to Loyola Marymount (CA) with eyes on an experience away from Hawai’i. The year was an enjoyable experience for Ah Yat, who spoke glowingly of her time at the school, but saw the two-time ILH Player of the Year appear in a muted role with just 17 games played and nine starts.

After sitting down with her family, Ah Yat decided a change of scenery – sort of – was needed.

“We just talked about what I needed the next year and came to the conclusion that I needed to be home with my family,” said Ah Yat. “Coming home was just what God had planned for me as well, so I think all glory to Him. And thanks to my dad for helping lead me on the right way and keep me in the right mindset the whole time.”

The move paid dividends quickly as Ah Yat earned a starting job after transferring to the University of Hawai’i, helping the Rainbow Wahine to a 33-20 season and a semifinal appearance in the Big West Tournament. The 33 wins by UH were the most in a single season since 2019 when the Rainbow Wahine went 33-16.

“I’m really grateful for Coach Bob [Coolen], especially for allowing me to come home and getting an opportunity to play,” Ah Yat said about the legendary UH coach who retired at the end of the 2025 season. “Just him having faith in me to get out there and prove myself and show that I can do it, and then the fans backing me up behind that … I can’t ask for anything better.”

Ah Yat returns to a talented but different Hawai’i roster in 2026, under new leadership for the first time in over 30 years as first-year head coach Panita Thanatharn takes over at the helm for the Rainbow Wahine. Despite graduations and changing regimes, the excitement remains the same as Opening Day approaching for Ah Yat and her teammates.

“Don’t forget to come out to our first game,” A smiling Ah Yat responded when asked about any message to the fans before the season. “Our first tournament, February 5-7. Our games are free … Thank you for all your support during this season and in the past, we’re really grateful and we see the impact you make on us and our program. We’re just trying to do our best for you guys and grow.”

Hawai’i begins the Thanatharn era on Thursday, February 5 against Seattle University on the first day of the Bank of Hawai’i Paradise Classic. First pitch is scheduled for 5 p.m. HT at Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium.

Win streak hits six as Hawai’i swiftly sweeps San Jose State

Win streak hits six as Hawai’i swiftly sweeps San Jose State

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HONOLULU – Someone tell Joshua Walker to keep his dancing shoes handy. The University of Hawai’i women’s volleyball team continued a perfect start to conference play on Saturday night, slicing through San Jose State (6-10, 1-5 Mountain West) in...

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Arizona State rolls along as Hawai’i road rally falls short

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The seeds of competence were there. The University of Hawai’i football team traveled to Tempe, took an early lead for the first time in a month and slowly unraveled afterwards on the way to a 30-12 loss to Arizona State (3-2) on Saturday night....

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Mana Wahine: Hawaii softball head coach Panita Thanatharn

Mana Wahine: Hawaii softball head coach Panita Thanatharn

Feb 2, 2026

First-year Hawaii softball head coach Panita Thanatharn smiles on as her team opens the 2026 season. | Photo Credit: Michael Lasquero, HSRN

Mana Wahine: Hawaii softball head coach Panita Thanatharn

BY PAUL BRECHT | HONOLULU
PUBLISHED FEBRUARY 2, 2026

HONOLULU – What’s the butterfly effect of a star sophomore breaking her leg in the first half of her college career?

New University of Hawai’i softball head coach Panita Thanatharn can tell you her own firsthand account.

“I think not being able to play for a couple years, sitting back on the sidelines, watching my teammates play, I think that’s what kind of got me into coaching,” Thanatharn said while reflecting on her career-altering injury from her playing days with Long Beach State.

After starting the 2003 season scorching hot with a .526 batting average across seven games, then-sophomore outfielder Panita Thanatharn saw her playing career dramatically altered on a February evening during a home tournament for the Beach.

Thanatharn rounded third to score in the second inning of a 4-2 win for LBSU but collided with LMU catcher Trisha Gomes as she reached home plate. It would be the final run that the right fielder would score for a long time, suffering a compound fracture in her lower left leg that cost her two years of work to rehab back from.

“I’ve had at least eight surgeries on it already,” Thanatharn revealed. “I had two surgeries right away and I was in the hospital for 10 days and nine nights.”

Despite working tirelessly to return in time to play during her junior year, Thanatharn was told that she wasn’t going to be cleared and ready and took a rare second medical redshirt. While she spent two years out of the lineup, Thanatharn was anything but absent from everything softball related.

Despite her fibula never healing, tibia getting major work and suffering nerve damage to go along with a few paralyzed muscles, Thanatharn made a return to the field in 2005 and improved to a respectable batting average again by 2006. After her coaches pushed for a return for a sixth year, Thanatharn obliged and finished her college career with an all-Big West honorable mention selection in 2007.

The injury also provided perspective on one of Thanatharn’s key messages as a coach – playing every game as though it could be your last.

“You never know,” the first-year head coach said. “Tomorrow could be your last game. We never know when our end date is, ever.”

Photo Credit: UH Athletics

As soon as her playing career’s expiration date hit, Thanatharn took up the clipboard and coaching cap with her alma mater. After a quick two-year detour at UNLV with veteran head coach Pete Manarino, she returned to LBSU under Kim Sowder and spent the next 15 seasons with the Beach.

Across 18 total years in various assistant coaching roles, Thanatharn finally took the leap to the head chair last June. The patience to take a lead job was purposeful as Thanatharn leaned on the advice of her mentors (who won a combined 1,422 games for Long Beach State) and other people in her circle.

“The goal was to be a head coach,” Thanatharn said. “But it had to be the right fit for me as well.”

She took multiple interviews for head coaching jobs when she was younger but consistently found herself asking if she was willing to leave a good place and role at LBSU for the positions looking to hire her. After some reflection, Thanatharn slowed her push to lead her own program and waited for a job too good to refuse to pop up.

Fast forward to the end of the 2025 season with former UH head coach Bob Coolen’s retirement after 34 years leading the Rainbow Wahine program and there was suddenly a program with the things Thanatharn desired in her new home.

“Again, the goal was to be a head coach but not just anywhere,” Thanatharn emphasized. “It had to be the right fit for me, for my family and at the same time, again I’m competitive. I didn’t want to go, selfishly, set myself up for failure. I wanted a place that is supported, where I know I can win, I can have support … it just had to be a good fit.”

Thanatharn acknowledged the daunting task that is replacing the program’s all-time winningest coach that spent over 30 years leading the Rainbow Wahine program. She also pointed to the longevity of Coolen’s tenure as a plus in her mind about the Hawai’i job.

“When people don’t leave, that’s a good thing,” Thanatharn said after becoming just the fourth head coach in UH program history. “People don’t want to leave [Hawai’i], and there’s something special going on at a place when you have a coaching staff that’s been there for quite a while.”

The first-year head coach certainly won’t have her team playing many cupcake tune-ups in her debut season at the helm. The Rainbow Wahine’s non-conference schedule features matchups against No. 9 Nebraska, No. 19 Duke, and a BYU squad that received votes in the preseason ESPN.com/USA Softball Top 25 poll and multiple other tournaments that will test the 24-player roster made up of seven new faces and 17 returning letterwinners.

Hawai’i will start the 2026 season on Thursday, February 5 against Seattle University at Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium on the first day of the Bank of Hawaii Paradise Classic. First pitch is scheduled for 5 p.m. HT and attendance is free and open to the public.

“Come out and support us, our girls are working hard,” Thanatharn said ahead of Thursday’s season opener. “Come support, it’s going to be a fun, special season … we’re super excited and we’re going to make this community proud.”

Win streak hits six as Hawai’i swiftly sweeps San Jose State

Win streak hits six as Hawai’i swiftly sweeps San Jose State

Oct 10, 2026

HONOLULU – Someone tell Joshua Walker to keep his dancing shoes handy. The University of Hawai’i women’s volleyball team continued a perfect start to conference play on Saturday night, slicing through San Jose State (6-10, 1-5 Mountain West) in...

Arizona State rolls along as Hawai’i road rally falls short

Arizona State rolls along as Hawai’i road rally falls short

Oct 10, 2026

The seeds of competence were there. The University of Hawai’i football team traveled to Tempe, took an early lead for the first time in a month and slowly unraveled afterwards on the way to a 30-12 loss to Arizona State (3-2) on Saturday night....

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Setting the Tone: Panita Thanatharn on Culture, Competition, and 2026

Setting the Tone: Panita Thanatharn on Culture, Competition, and 2026

Jan 7, 2026

Setting the Tone: Panita Thanatharn on Culture, Competition, and 2026

BY HSRN STAFF | HONOLULU
PUBLISHED JANUARY 7, 2025

HONOLULU — A new chapter in Rainbow Wahine softball is officially underway, and excitement is building quickly as first-year head coach Panita Thanatharn leads the University of Hawaiʻi program into the 2026 season.

After a productive fall and a short holiday break, the Rainbow Wahine are back on the field with opening day fast approaching. For Thanatharn, the energy around the team has been noticeable since day one.

“I’m super pumped up,” Thanatharn told the media. “Yesterday was an exciting day after the holidays and breaks. They had a shuttle test that they probably weren’t too excited for, but they killed it. Everything we’ve thrown at them, they’ve really taken it in well, so it’s exciting.”

With the season just about a month away, the focus has been less about instant results and more about building habits, trust, and identity.

Building an Identity — One Day at a Time

Thanatharn has been clear that establishing a culture doesn’t happen overnight. Instead, it’s a daily process rooted in consistency and action.

“It’s more about getting them used to things they haven’t done before and learning each other,” she explained. “We talk a lot about culture, but it’s not overnight. We can talk all we want — we have to do the action too.”

That philosophy has carried over into the team’s routines as well. One of the noticeable changes under the new staff has been a shift to morning workouts, something the players have embraced.

“We changed their routine a little bit. We’re strictly a morning team now, and they’ve all seemed to enjoy that. It’s been awesome,” Thanatharn said.

For the first-year head coach, the adjustment to leading her own program has been seamless so far.

“It’s been great. It’s going by fast — and I think it’s going to go by even faster,” she added.

A Schedule Designed to Test — and Prepare

The 2026 schedule reflects that same mindset. Hawai‘i will play 52 games, including 21 at home, but the early portion of the season is intentionally demanding.

“The pre-season is supposed to get you ready for conference,” Thanatharn said. “That’s the main goal — conference and winning a title. So the pre-season has to put us through the gauntlet a little bit.”

That challenge comes in the form of a 10-game mainland road swing, including back-to-back tournaments at UC Riverside and the prestigious Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic.

“That’s a tough 10-game road trip, and it was kind of designed that way,” she said.

Before hitting the road, the Rainbow Wahine will open the season at home with the Paradise Classic (Feb. 5–7), followed later by the Outrigger Classic (Feb. 26–28) — giving fans multiple chances to see the team early in the year at Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium.

Big West Conference play will follow, with Hawai‘i battling familiar rivals as the push toward a conference championship and postseason berth begins. The 2026 season also marks the final year competing in the Big West Conference for the Rainbow Wahine, adding extra significance to each league matchup as the program prepares to transition into the Mountain West Conference in the seasons ahead.

Honoring the Past While Building the Future

Thanatharn has also emphasized respect for the program’s history and those who helped build it, while still moving forward with her own vision.

“We’re very grateful for what’s been done here,” she said. “The history and tradition are important. It’s a privilege to honor this program, and the alumni are a huge part of its past and future.”

Her message to the team has been simple: keep improving.

“Our goal is just to keep getting better every single day,” she said. “Honoring the past, but continuing to build.”

Pre-Season Pa‘ina to Kick Off 2026

As the season approaches, the program will also host its first-ever Pre-Season Pa‘ina, giving fans an early chance to connect with the team.

“This is a way to kick off our season, get the community involved, and bring our alumni back,” Thanatharn said. “It’s really an all-for-one event.”

The event will include a player hit-a-thon, a public home run derby — held on the softball field — and a meet-and-greet with the entire team and coaching staff.

“We want it to be fun,” Thanatharn said. “Some bragging rights, some smack talk — just a natural way to bring everyone together.”

The Pre-Season Pa‘ina will be held Sunday, January 18, 2026, at Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium, with proceeds supporting program development.

CLICK HERE to register by Wednesday, January 14, 2026.

Win streak hits six as Hawai’i swiftly sweeps San Jose State

Win streak hits six as Hawai’i swiftly sweeps San Jose State

Oct 10, 2026

HONOLULU – Someone tell Joshua Walker to keep his dancing shoes handy. The University of Hawai’i women’s volleyball team continued a perfect start to conference play on Saturday night, slicing through San Jose State (6-10, 1-5 Mountain West) in...

Arizona State rolls along as Hawai’i road rally falls short

Arizona State rolls along as Hawai’i road rally falls short

Oct 10, 2026

The seeds of competence were there. The University of Hawai’i football team traveled to Tempe, took an early lead for the first time in a month and slowly unraveled afterwards on the way to a 30-12 loss to Arizona State (3-2) on Saturday night....

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Mana Wahine Wednesday: Hawai’i softball alum Jenna (Rodriguez) DiPrima

Mana Wahine Wednesday: Hawai’i softball alum Jenna (Rodriguez) DiPrima

May 1, 2024

Mana Wahine Wednesday: Hawai’i softball alum Jenna (Rodriguez) DiPrima

BY PAUL BRECHT | HONOLULU
PUBLISHED MAY 1, 2024

HONOLULU – “The first pitch to Jenna Rodriguez is pulled down the left field line, if it’s fair, it’s over! The game ends on a walk-off home run for Jenna Rodriguez.” 

That was the call from ESPN play-by-play announcer Cara Capuano as more than 3,000 fans in Tuscaloosa and thousands more on television watched the Hawai’i Rainbow Wahine softball team stun the Alabama Crimson Tide with a walk-off, two-run home run to send UH to the 2010 Women’s College World Series. 

14 years later, the now-married Jenna (Rodriguez) DiPrima will return to the islands with much of that 2010 roster as the group is inducted into the UH Sports Circle of Honor as part of the 2024 class. It’s a deserving honor for a team and player that provided one of the most electrifying moments in the history of college softball with her second home run off of SEC Pitcher of the Year Kelsi Dunne in a pivotal win-or-go-home Game 3 of the 2010 NCAA Super Regional during Hawai’i softball’s first and only run to the NCAA Women’s College World Series tournament. 

The versatile piece for the Rainbow Wahine drove in all five runs in UH’s stunning walk-off win over national #1 Alabama in Tuscaloosa as part of a 3-for-4 day out of the clean-up spot, continuing to provide a steady presence for a team that set an NCAA-record at the time for most home runs in a single season with 158 long balls. The 2021 Oklahoma Sooners, led by James Campbell High School alum Jocelyn Alo, broke that mark with 161 home runs. 

That success was built on an identity of a team that worked hard behind the scenes and worked even harder as a group. It was part of their identity, with Jenna (Rodriguez) DiPrima serving as a prime example. 

Coming from a junior college, the utility player had to work for an opportunity to crack the lineup and prove herself as she jumped to her dream of playing at the Division I level.  

“Going into a program knowing you have to earn a spot … I really wanted to play, and I did whatever it took,” the 2011 UH alum said of her defensive versatility when she arrived in the islands. “I definitely put in a lot of extra time as well and I grabbed teammates that would work alongside and put in those extra hours, too.” 

While putting in the time to improve, the team grew an undeniable chemistry – one that head coach Bob Coolen said was the key factor pushing the team through the invisible barrier and into the program’s first Women’s College World Series appearance.  

With a deep group of talented hitters, DiPrima said that the Rainbow Wahine knew they could rely on each other for the days that someone might not have their best swing. With that comfort that someone else could do the job, it made it easier for every player to get comfortable in the box – no matter who was on the mound. 

That proved to be an important trait for that critical Game 3 versus Alabama when facing a multi-time All-American pitcher in Kelsi Dunne. With the season hanging in the balance, DiPrima remembers the conversation being just one thing. 

“We weren’t ready to go home, we weren’t ready to call it a season,” she said the team confirmed to each other ahead of that do-or-die game. “We deserved to play on that field, with that team, and we wanted to compete because we weren’t ready to go home and end our season.” 

Getting the cleanup duties that day, DiPrima broke open the scoring with a 3-run blast in the top of the 1st to give Hawai’i the lead. The Rainbow Wahine led until the top of the 6th when Alabama’s Whitney Larsen hit a go-ahead 3-run homer of her own to push the Tide in front, 4-3. 

After trading zeros in the bottom of the 6th and top of the 7th, UH had just one more chance to keep good on the commitment to continue the season further with each other as they came to bat in the bottom of the 7th inning. After a promising opening to the frame with a leadoff walk, Hawai’i quickly saw two outs on the board as Dunne recorded her 16th strikeout of the afternoon and brought DiPrima to the plate. 

“My approach to the plate, specifically for that at-bat, was anything close to the plate, I was going to be aggressive,” DiPrima shared. “Facing a pitcher with that much talent, being the number one pitcher in the nation, you might only get one good pitch and you might not get any good pitches … I did have a lot of confidence because of the success earlier in that game but anything close, I was going for it.” 

She locked onto the first pitch, sending a laser down the left field line and just inside the foul pole to stun the 3,000-plus screaming fans in Tuscaloosa with her second home run of the game, her 17th of the season and the biggest one of her career. 

Moments after the victory, Coolen described the moment as the best of his professional life. The group, intertwined with a commitment to hard work and each other, celebrated in the background as they enjoyed a moment that would be etched in Hawai’i history forever. 

Since graduating in 2011, DiPrima has gotten a masters’ degree – coaching at the same time as an assistant on the Lamar (TX) softball staff – and began working as a brand manager working for a beer distributor in California. Her personal life has continued to blossom as well, getting married before welcoming her son two years ago. 

As for finding out about the honors for her 2010 Hawai’i softball team, DiPrima said the team had the news broken in a group text and have since excitedly tried to figure out who could attend the May 5 enshrinement ceremony.  

“We’re all excited to see each other, it’s been so long – you know, now some of us are parents,” DiPrima chuckled. “It’s just amazing how time flies.” 

Speaking of parents, the former Hawai’i slugger and mother of a 2-year-old chuckled and quickly responded that it would just be her and her husband making the trip to the islands when asked about it being a solo or family trip. More than anything, DiPrima said she is just excited to return to the school and see the supporters once again. 

“I want to thank anyone who has ever followed our team, just Hawai’i athletics in general. It makes the experience that much more as an athlete when you have that type of support,” DiPrima said. “[That support] really plays a huge role in that athlete’s life, just being supported and going out there and wanting to just win for the fans, win for the team and just win for the state in general. I just want to say thank you to everyone that has ever supported Hawai’i athletics, it means a ton.”