The Big West Conference has released its 2026 preseason softball poll, with the University of Hawai’i Rainbow Wahine projected to finish in a tie for fourth place. The poll, which reflects the votes of conference coaches, places Hawai’i alongside UC San Diego, both receiving 50 points.
Panita Thanatharn will lead the Rainbow Wahine as head coach for the first time this season. This marks the fourth occasion in five years that Hawai’i has been predicted to finish fourth or higher among the ten teams in the conference.
Last season, under former head coach Bob Coolen, Hawai’i posted a 33-20 overall record and went 17-10 in conference play. The team finished in a four-way tie for second place. In the inaugural Big West tournament, Hawai’i achieved upset victories over Long Beach State and top-seeded Cal State Fullerton before being eliminated by CSUN and eventual champion UC Santa Barbara.
This year’s preseason favorite is UC Santa Barbara (UCSB), which secured six out of ten first-place votes and totaled 78 points. Cal State Fullerton follows closely with four first-place votes and 75 points. Long Beach State is third with 65 points. UC Davis is picked sixth with 38 points, just ahead of CSUN at seventh with 36 points.
Thanatharn is one of three new head coaches in the Big West this year, joining Jodie Cox at CSUN and Kendall Fearn at Long Beach State. Half of the league’s coaches have led their programs for three seasons or fewer.
Hawai’i enters its 26th season as a member of the Big West Conference. The program was part of the conference from 1985 to 1986 before rejoining in 2013; it has competed in the league for the past thirteen seasons. Next year, Hawai’i will transition to compete in the Mountain West Conference.
The Rainbow Wahine are set to begin their season hosting the Bank of Hawai’i Paradise Classic from February 5–7 at Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium. Their opening games will be against North Dakota, Pacific, and SeattleU.
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