STARKVILLE, Miss. – University of Hawai`i's freshman shortstop, Jessica Iwata, has been named as the Louisville Slugger/NFCA Division I National Player of the Week for games played between April 5 and April 11. She is the first Rainbow Wahine softball player to ever earn the prestigious honor.

Iwata, a Lihu`e, Kaua`i native and Kaua`i High School graduate, went 12-for-20 on the week with nine runs, 17 RBIs, two doubles, six home runs, two grand slams and two walks. She finished the week with a 1.600 slugging percentage, a .636 on-base percentage and a .600 batting average. She hit safely in all five of her games this week, including recording multiple hits in four of those game and multiple RBIs in three. In the Rainbow Wahine's final game against Boise State on Saturday, Iwata tied UH's and the WAC's single-game home run record with three home runs while driving in a UH and WAC single-game record, eight RBIs.

Hawai`i finished last week with a 5-0 record, sweeping a pair of away series at Utah State and Boise State (one game at Utah State was snowed out). The 'Bows enter this week at 33-11 overall and 11-0 in the Western Athletic Conference. The Rainbow Wahine are currently on a 11 game winning streak and have belted out an NCAA best, 106 home runs this season. They will battle Louisiana Tech this weekend in a three-game conference series starting with a single game on Friday, April 16 at 6:00 p.m., followed by a doubleheader on Saturday, April 17th at 4:00 p.m. Admission is free to all softball games.

2010 Louisville Slugger/NFCA DI National Player of the Week ?
April 13 – Jessica Iwata – Hawaii – Fr. – SS – Lihu`e, Hawaii
April 6 – Blair Luna – Texas – Fr. – P – Austin, Texas
March 30 – April Setterlund – Boston U. – Jr. – OF – Torrance, Calif.
March 23 – Teagan Gerhart – Stanford – Fr. – P – Norco, Calif.
March 16 – Kenzie Fowler – Arizona – Fr. – P – Tucson, Ariz.
March 9 – Anna Whiddon – Oklahoma St. – Sr. – P – Huntington, Texas
March 2 – Jen Yee – Georgia Tech – Sr. – 2B – North Delta, B.C., Canada
Feb. 23 – Stacie Townsend – UTEP – Sr. – P/2B – Orlando, Fla. ?
Feb. 16 – Danielle Lawrie – Washington – Sr. – P/DP – Langley, B.C., Canada