UH-Hilo Offers Free Admission This Week to Middle, High Schoolers

The University of Hawai’i at Hilo athletic department announced Monday that it will offer free admission for all home sporting events this week to intermediate and high school students.

UH-Hilo’s basketball and baseball teams will host games throughout the week. The men’s and women’s basketball teams will play Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday, while baseball hosts a four-game series against Holy Names University on Friday and Saturday.

“We’ve had so much success in athletics and we’re given an opportunity to give back to high school and junior high school kids to come out and watch our teams,” said UH-Hilo athletic director Joey Estrella.

Tickets for students are usually priced at $4 for general seating and $7 for reserved seating in volleyball and basketball. Children 12 years of age and below are already allowed in for free.

Tuesday’s basketball doubleheader against Academy of Art University will be played at the UH-Hilo Gymnasium. First Hawaiian Bank is listed as the game sponsor.

At halftime of the women’s game, which tips off at 5 p.m., female cancer survivors will be honored as part of the NCAA’s “Play 4 Kay” initiative, named after former North Carolina State women’s basketball coach Kay Yow, who passed away in 2009.

Thursday’s basketball games against Holy Names will be played at the Afook-Chinen Civic Auditorium. The game sponsor for that night is SUBWAY. The women’s contest will start at 5 p.m. with the men to follow.

The baseball Vulcans return to the field on Friday to take on Holy Names. Doubleheader play begins at 4 p.m., and Hirayama Brothers Electric is the night’s sponsor. The same schedule follows on Saturday, with Hilo Naniloa Hotel serving as the twinbill sponsor.

Basketball’s home schedule wraps up the week Saturday night at the Afook-Chinen Civic Auditorium. Seniors from both the men’s and women’s basketball teams will be honored as the Vulcans face Dominican University. Game times are 5 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.