It didn’t take Megan Yorba very long to find a new home as the 2022 Ceres High grad will continue her college education and play softball for the University of Hawaii at Hilo during the 2023-24 school year.

She transferred from Oakland’s Holy Names University, which cut its athletics program this fall due to funding issues.

“I’m really excited,” said Yorba, a sophomore southpaw pitcher. “I’ve always wanted to go to a school in Hawaii since I was little. It’s basically living in paradise. I’m looking forward to being able to explore over there. It’s going to be a fun change of environment.”

Yorba signed with Hawaii-Hilo despite not taking a recruiting trip to the NCAA Division-II school.

The Vulcans went 16-25 and finished seventh in the PacWest Conference standings (11-16) this past spring.

“I looked up their campus and field they played on online,” she said. “It looked really nice.”

“The girls and coaches on their team are sweet,” Yorba added.

Yorba crossed paths with Hawaii-Hilo this past spring.

The eighth-place Redhawks won one of four games against the Vulcans.

“We played two games against them,” Yorba said. “They were in our conference. I did well the first game. They liked my style of pitching. I liked the coaches so I decided to go there. The team is going to be really good this season.”

Yorba compiled a 1-7 record with a 4.83 earned-run average, 31 strikeouts and 12 walks while making nine starts during her lone season with the Redhawks.

She ranked second on the team in both strikeouts and innings pitched.

“College is definitely more competitive,” she said. “It’s a challenge. I like it. You get to see how good you are.”

Yorba opted to pitch this past spring despite being slowed by a right knee injury.

“I decided to keep playing because I wanted to get picked up by another team,” she said. “It took me a couple games to gain confidence. I didn’t have a lot of experience.”

Holy Names finished 13-34 and 10-21 in the PacWest Conference.

“My goal for the season was to do the best I could do and focus on being a good teammate,” Yorba said. 

Yorba entered the transfer portal after Holy Names University axed its athletics program.

“I made a lot of friends there I want to keep in contact with,” she said. 

Yorba will move into her dorm room at Hawaii-Hilo on Aug. 12.

“I’m looking forward to being able to explore over there,” she said. “It’s going to be a fun change of environment.”

Yorba will be returning to California in 2024 when Hawaii-Hilo plays in the Tournament of Champions. The event is co-hosted by Stanislaus State and city of Turlock.

“My family can come watch me play during the Turlock tournament,” she said. 

Yorba played three seasons of varsity softball at Ceres High School.

She helped lead the Bulldogs to a 19-6 overall record, first-place finish in the Western Athletic Conference (13-1) and Sac-Joaquin Section Division-III playoff berth during her freshman year.

She earned second-team all-league honors.

Yorba compiled a 9-3 record with a 1.44 earned-run average, 88 strikeouts, 10 walks and one save in 45 innings. She batted .351 from the plate with five RBIs and 10 runs.

Yorba posted a 1-1 record with a 1.17 ERA, 23 strikeouts and two walks in 12 innings as Ceres High finished 6-2 on the year and 1-0 in the WAC standings during the 2020 COVID-shortened season. She hit .375 and scored two runs in 10 plate appearances.

Yorba had a perfect 4-0 mark at pitcher with a 1.17 ERA, 42 strikeouts and four walks in 30 innings of work as a junior. She batted .333 with one triple, two doubles, 12 RBIs and 10 runs.

Yorba has been passionate about the sport since the age of five.

“It starts at the CYB fields,” she said. “That’s where you grow your love of softball.”