Christian Shimabuku
Although I didn't move to Hawaiʻi until after high school, I have been connected to the Islands and followed Hawaiʻi sports my entire life. My father was born and raised on Oʻahu, and my family would come to Hawaiʻi for Christmas to visit his family members on an annual basis. Deep down, I always knew it's where I wanted to spend my life. The last 11 and a half years have only reaffirmed that.
I got my start in journalism covering sports for Ka Leo O Hawaiʻi, the student newspaper at the University of Hawaiʻi at Manoa. I was also a sports clerk/sports reporter at the Honolulu Star-Advertiser for a total of about four years. After graduation, I interned at the Sporting News in Charlotte, N.C. in the summer of 2018 before returning to the Star-Advertiser. In November 2019, I joined KHON2 News in Honolulu as a digital sports reporter for five years.
The sports scene in Hawaiʻi as a whole is robust and at times, complex. I truly believe Hawaiʻi is home to some of the world's greatest people and athletes. Being able to tell their stories for the last decade has been an honor and a blessing. I can't wait to do the same for Aloha State Daily. Getting in on the ground floor for a new venture is something I always found intriguing and with ASD, it's something I'll be able to do for the first time. Additionally, ASD's commitment to journalism comes at a time where I believe it is more important than ever in our world to support local and quality journalism.
Latest from Christian Shimabuku

Players with Hawai‘i ties make the NFL cut
Tuesday was the deadline for NFL teams to submit their 53-man rosters ahead of the 2025 regular season.
Christian ShimabukuAugust 27, 2025

Hawai‘i football practices without starting quarterback Micah Alejado on Tuesday
While Alejado nurses an ankle injury, backup Luke Weaver took the majority of the first-team reps.
Christian ShimabukuAugust 27, 2025

Matsuzawa's perfect day leads Hawai‘i football to season-opening victory over Stanford
The Japan native made all five of his kicks on Saturday, including a game-winning field goal as time expired.
Christian ShimabukuAugust 24, 2025

Lessons from Levi: UH football coach Timmy Chang carries teachings from late father to daily life
Levi Chang passed away in 2015 but continues to be an influence in his son's football journey.
Christian ShimabukuAugust 22, 2025

Hawai‘i quarterback Micah Alejado steps into spotlight
On Saturday, Alejado will become the first freshman to start a season opener at quarterback for UH since 2005.
Christian ShimabukuAugust 22, 2025

Peter Manuma planning to solidify legacy heading into senior season
UH's star safety turned down six-figure offers from other schools in order to return to the Rainbow Warriors this fall.
Christian ShimabukuAugust 20, 2025

Honolulu Little League eliminated in Little League World Series
Honolulu's championship hopes came to an end against South Carolina's Irmo Little League on Tuesday.
Christian ShimabukuAugust 20, 2025

Hawai‘i football holds inaugural Braddahhood Ball
The debut fundraiser for the Rainbow Warriors saw tens of thousands of dollars raised during a live auction on Saturday night.
Christian ShimabukuAugust 17, 2025

Little League World Series pioneers among those inducted into Hawai‘i Sports Hall of Fame
The 2005 Little League Champions were among those honored in a ceremony on Thursday evening.
Christian ShimabukuAugust 15, 2025

Victims find solace as former basketball coach Dwayne Yuen sentenced
Yuen was sentenced to over 33 years in prison on Thursday on counts of sex trafficking, producing and possessing child pornography, and sexual coercion of minors.
Michael Brestovansky & Christian ShimabukuAugust 15, 2025

Q&A: Honolulu Little League manager Gerald Oda
Aloha State Daily caught up with Oda before his team begins play at the 2025 Little League World Series.
Christian ShimabukuAugust 14, 2025

New plans for Aloha Stadium revealed
The Aloha Stadium Authority board held a special meeting on Wednesday prior to the self-imposed Aug. 15 deadline between NASED and AHDP, where a new completion date and seating capacity were revealed.
Christian ShimabukuAugust 14, 2025

Meet the University of Hawai‘i's 29-year-old freshman punter
Billy Gowers left his life behind in Australia, which included a barbershop business, to pursue his NFL aspirations.
Christian ShimabukuAugust 13, 2025

University of Hawai‘i drops PPV as part of one-year deal with Spectrum Sports
Spectrum Sports will not charge local fans extra to tune in to UH football games this fall, among other conditions in its new one-year deal.
Christian ShimabukuAugust 11, 2025

Kahuku football remains united despite offseason turbulence
Interim head coach Nihoa Pule says the Red Raiders have remained committed to the team through an offseason coaching change that in which former coach Sterling Carvalho was removed.
Christian ShimabukuAugust 10, 2025

Saint Louis makes statement in season opener over Kahuku
The Crusaders blanked the Red Raiders in a road victory on Saturday night, overcoming distractions off the field prior to game day.
Christian ShimabukuAugust 10, 2025

Intrigue surrounds Saint Louis-Kahuku opener as high school football kicks off in Hawai‘i
The Crusaders and Red Raiders met in the 2024 HHSAA Open Division championship game, with Saint Louis prevailing. Both programs have endured off-field drama since then.
Christian ShimabukuAugust 08, 2025

Patience and loyalty leads to deep receiving corps for Hawai‘i football team in 2025
Receivers Pofele Ashlock and Nick Cencale were named to the Mountain West preseason All-Conference team in July, the first time UH had two players on offense make the team.
Christian ShimabukuAugust 08, 2025

Hawai‘i soccer picked to finish first in Big West preseason poll
The Rainbow Wahine won the Big West regular season in 2024 but lost in the conference's tournament semifinals.
Christian ShimabukuAugust 08, 2025

Hawai‘i football strength and conditioning coach Bobby Thomas goes all-in on new gig
Thomas joined the program in March, moving to the Islands from Georgia.
Christian ShimabukuAugust 07, 2025

Hawai‘i women's volleyball opens preseason with culture intact
UH, which opens its season against Marquette on Aug 29, has eight returnees and eight newcomers on its roster.
Christian ShimabukuAugust 06, 2025

Attorney for former Kahuku football coach says legal battle not done despite Friday's ruling
Sterling Carvalho, who was head coach of the Red Raiders from 2018 through the 2024 season, was removed from his position on March 31.
Christian ShimabukuAugust 04, 2025

Hawai‘i's youth baseball and softball teams enjoy success in Mainland tournaments
A bevy of youth diamond teams from across the state spent their respective summers playing ball around the country.
Christian ShimabukuAugust 02, 2025

Optimism remains ahead of looming Aloha Stadium contract deadline
Mid-August is the new self-imposed deadline between NASED and AHDP to execute a contract.
Christian ShimabukuAugust 01, 2025

Hawai‘i football shakes off tsunami scare and resumes fall camp
Wednesday's practice marked a full week of practice for the Rainbow Warriors, who open their season on Aug. 23 against Stanford.
Christian ShimabukuJuly 31, 2025

Hawai‘i soccer eager to build on recent success in final year of Big West
The Rainbow Wahine will look to win the Big West in their final season in the conference.
Christian ShimabukuJuly 30, 2025

Former Kahuku football coach Sterling Carvalho makes court appearance following removal
Carvalho sued the Department of Education after getting removed from his position as Kahuku's football coach on March 31.
Christian ShimabukuJuly 29, 2025

Honua Finals set to hold world championships again after successful debut
The holding period for the 2025 Honua Finals runs from July 31-Aug. 3 at Ala Moana Bowls.
Christian ShimabukuJuly 26, 2025

Carissa Moore to host mother-daughter weekend at Outrigger Kā'anapali
Registration for the event on Maui, which runs from Aug. 30-31, ends on Aug. 1.
Christian ShimabukuJuly 25, 2025

Hawai‘i football makes subtle changes to practice routine as fall camp begins
The Rainbow Warriors intentionally took the field later than usual for their first fall practice on Wednesday.
Christian ShimabukuJuly 24, 2025

Hawai‘i football set to open fall camp ahead of 2025 season
Wednesday's opening practice will mark one month until the Rainbow Warriors will open their 2025 season against Stanford at the Clarence T.C. Ching Athletics Complex.
Christian ShimabukuJuly 23, 2025

Lanikai Canoe Club wins seventh consecutive O‘ahu Hawaiian Canoe Racing Association title
Lanikai medaled in 37 of the 46 events, winning 20 of them on Sunday afternoon.
Christian ShimabukuJuly 21, 2025

Wai‘anae's Max Holloway retains BMF belt at UFC 318, playing spoiler against retiring Dustin Poirier
Holloway defeated Poirier in his home state of Louisiana, his first win in a trilogy that dates back to 2012.
Christian ShimabukuJuly 20, 2025

Wai‘anae's Max Holloway set to defend BMF belt in UFC 318 headliner
Holloway will face the retiring Dustin Poirier in New Orleans, but not before reckoning with the end of his own career leading up to the fight.
Christian ShimabukuJuly 18, 2025

Hawai‘i braces for change in last year as football-only member of Mountain West
UH will become full-time members of the Mountain West Conference on July 1, 2026, a league that will add and subtract from its membership next summer.
Christian ShimabukuJuly 18, 2025

Q&A: San Jose State head coach and Hawai‘i native Ken Niumatalolo
Niumatalolo, a UH alum who frequently visits home, is heading into his second year as the head coach at San Jose State following 15 years at the helm at Navy.
Christian ShimabukuJuly 18, 2025

Surfing to become latest sport sanctioned by HHSAA
In late May, Gov. Josh Green passed House Bill 133, which proposed funding needed for interscholastic surfing programs.
Christian ShimabukuJuly 17, 2025

Underdogs turned standouts take the stage for Hawai‘i football at Mountain West media days
Receiver Pofele Ashlock and linebacker Jamih Otis represented the Rainbow Warriors during the player portion of media days in Las Vegas on Wednesday.
Christian ShimabukuJuly 17, 2025

Multiple Hawai‘i prospects selected in MLB Draft
A variety of baseball players from across the state are expected to begin their professional careers in the coming days.
Christian ShimabukuJuly 15, 2025

Celebration of life held for Merv Lopes at Chaminade
Lopes died at 92 on May 8. The former Chaminade men's basketball coach was most remembered for guiding the then-NAIA Silverswords to victory over No. 1 Virginia in 1982, widely considered one of the greatest upsets in sports history.
Christian ShimabukuJuly 13, 2025

More Hawai‘i history set to be made in 2025 MLB Draft
Saint Louis alumnus Aiva Arquette and Baldwin graduate Wehiwa Aloy are expected to be the first pair of first round MLB picks from local high schools.
Christian ShimabukuJuly 12, 2025

Former UH basketball player Gibson Johnson earns praise as assistant coach
Johnson, a two-year captain for the Rainbow Warriors, is entering his fifth season on the UH coaching staff.
Christian ShimabukuJuly 11, 2025

Multiple Hawai‘i youth volleyball teams win national championships
Teams from across the state flew to Florida and Minnesota, winning national championships in their respective age groups.
Christian ShimabukuJuly 10, 2025

Hawai‘i native Danny Alvarez returns home to lead UH beach volleyball team
Alvarez, who served as an assistant coach for the Rainbow Wahine for nine seasons, returns to the program as the head coach.
Christian ShimabukuJuly 09, 2025

Hawai‘i football featured but overlooked in new EA Sports release
EA Sports College Football 26 was released on Monday, the second edition of the game in the NIL era.
Christian ShimabukuJuly 07, 2025

How Wai‘anae became the Seariders
Community pride is prevalent on the west side of Oʻahu, where a high school with one of the state's most unique mascots reside.
Christian ShimabukuJune 25, 2025

Wai‘anae football team set to play games on new field this fall
The Seariders played all of their games on the road in 2024, while a new turf surface at Raymond Torii Stadium was being installed.
Christian ShimabukuJune 19, 2025

Four-time fireknife champion Hale Motu'apuaka balances multiple passions
Motu'apuaka, a 25-year-old Punahou alumnus, has yet to close the door on his professional football career.
Christian ShimabukuJune 18, 2025

Los Angeles Rams open minicamp on Maui
The Rams engaged in a bevy of community activations in the Valley Isle on Tuesday.
Christian ShimabukuJune 18, 2025

New UH president and athletics director share vision of alignment
Matt Elliott emerged as Wendy Hensel's pick for new UH AD after a monthslong nationwide search.
Christian ShimabukuJune 18, 2025

Bruin Agbayani invited to MLB Combine
Agbayani, the 2025 state Gatorade Player of the Year, is projected to be selected in next month's MLB Draft.
Christian ShimabukuJune 17, 2025

With family at the forefront, new UH athletics director Matt Elliott eager to begin
Matt Elliott was unanimously approved by the UH Board of Regents as the school's new athletics director on Monday. His first official day is June 30.
Christian ShimabukuJune 17, 2025

Public paddle-out scheduled in honor of Clyde Aikau
Aikau died at 75 on May 3 after a battle with pancreatic cancer.
Christian ShimabukuJune 14, 2025

B.J. Penn arrested again amid ongoing family issues
Penn was arrested on Thursday morning for violating a temporary restraining order.
Christian ShimabukuJune 14, 2025

Hawai‘i MMA fighters express concern toward B.J. Penn amid legal troubles
Penn, one of the most influential mixed martial artists in the state's history, was arrested three times in a span of six days in late May.
Christian ShimabukuJune 12, 2025

Standout quarterback Maika Eugenio set to return home after committing to University of Hawai‘i football team
Eugenio moved to Las Vegas with his family in middle school. The Kapolei native recently committed to play college football for UH.
Christian ShimabukuJune 12, 2025

Hawai‘i MMA community comes together for anti-bullying event
Over a dozen prominent local mixed martial artists and coaches gave free instruction at the first "Warriors Don't Bully" event on Sunday in Waipahu.
Christian ShimabukuJune 11, 2025