A historic Oregon university with strong ties to Hawai’i is making a historic venture to the Islands in mid-September.

Pacific University (Ore.) is bringing its football team and much more to Honolulu Sept. 15-17 for three days of fun and fellowship among the university’s alumni, families, current students and friends.

The Pacific University Boxers will take on Occidental College (Calif.) at Kūnuiākea Stadium on the campus of Kamehameha Schools Kāpalama on Saturday, Sept. 17 at 5 p.m. The game is believed to be the first-ever NCAA Division III football contest held in Hawai’i, and it will conclude a three-day celebration that commences Thursday, Sept. 15 with the second annual Pacific University Boxer ‘Ohana Golf Tournament.

In between, a special reception for Pacific ‘Ohana will take place Friday night at the Manoa Grand Ballroom, and a Boxer Nation Game Day tailgate party will be held at Shorebird Restaurant at the Outrigger Reef Hotel & Resort from 2 to 4 p.m. on Saturday just prior to the 5 p.m. football kickoff.

Additionally, Pacific’s Board of Trustees will hold its annual board retreat in Hawai’i, led by newly appointed chair Gerald Yoshida '73 of Char Hamilton Yoshida & Shimomoto Attorneys at Law, in Honolulu. Yoshida is a 1973 alumnus who has served as a trustee since 2010 and is the first resident of Hawai’i to chair Pacific University's Board of Trustees.

Pacific University (Ore.) has been a home away from home for many Hawai’i residents even before the Islands entered statehood in 1959. Today, more than 1,500 Pacific alumni and 400 current students call Hawai’i home. In 2015, the Boxer football team had 28 players from Hawai'i on its roster, the second highest number in the nation behind only the University of Hawai'i Rainbow Warriors.

The long weekend begins on Thursday morning, Sept. 15 at the Ewa Beach Golf Club for the second annual Pacific University Boxer ‘Ohana Golf Tournament. Friday evening’s reception at the Manoa Grand Ballroom begins at 5:30 p.m. and will be attended by alumni and friends, Pacific Board of Trustee members, as well as head football coach Keith Buckley. All net proceeds from these two events help fund the ‘Ohana Scholarship and the Henry Kaulia Scholarship, and help offset Pacific athletic teams’ travel expenses to Hawai’i for non-conference competitions such as the football game against Occidental.

Tickets for all events, including golf tournament participation, the reception, pregame tailgate party and football game are available at pacificu.edu/hawaii2016.

Pacific University is the only mainland university with a resource office in Hawai’i to serve alumni, current and prospective students. The office opened in 2013 under founding director Gary Pacarro, a 1974 Pacific University alumnus and former trustee. Pacarro is available to discuss Pacific in Hawai’i 2016 and can be reached at 808-536-5880 or gpacarro@pacificu.edu.

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Founded in 1849, Pacific University (Ore.) is a diverse and sustainable community dedicated to discovery and excellence in teaching, scholarship and practice. The university consists of colleges of Arts & Sciences, Education, Optometry, Health Professions and Business, with locations in Forest Grove, Hillsboro, Eugene, Portland and Woodburn.