University of Hawaii Rainbow Wahine working on tourney

UH ATHLETICS
<strong>Laura Beeman:</strong>
<em>UH coach exploring the possibilities </em>

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UH ATHLETICS

Laura Beeman:

UH coach exploring the possibilities

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The University of Hawaii Rainbow Wahine are hoping to celebrate their Thanksgiving with a season-opening basketball buffet of sorts.

A week after the NCAA Division I Council announced Nov. 25 as the permissible starting point for the Division I basketball season, UH coach Laura Beeman said she is trying to put the finishing touches on a four-team Thanksgiving weekend tournament.

Beeman said she has verbal agreements from two teams, one of them from the Pac-12, and is seeking a third to round out a Nov. 27-29 event at the Stan Sheriff Center. She declined to name the teams pending execution of the contracts.

UH is also attempting to nail down a planned two-game, Dec. 19 and 21, West Coast road trip, including at least one Pac-12 stop.

“The only reason we’d be allowed to go is that we’d be getting a pretty substantial guarantee for one game and the other is a return (game) where we don’t have to pay them anything to come (to Manoa) in 2021-22,” Beeman said. “Over the course of time, it is actually saving us money and, right now, that’s a big factor in everything that we are doing.”

Due to the impact of COVID-19, UH is projecting a $9.3 million budget deficit for the current fiscal year.

Historically, Beeman has scheduled the Rainbow Wahine for December road trips using them as a recruiting enhancement since mainland players can get home in time for some of the holidays at minimal expense.

UH is also awaiting word on whether the local Division II schools will be cleared by their Division Council and the Pac West Conference for play in December. If so, Beeman said UH would like to play a couple before the Rainbow Wahine’s planned pre-Christmas mainland road trip.

That would give UH the maximum allowable 27-game schedule since the Big West Conference plans a 20-game league schedule beginning Dec. 31.

Under NCAA rules, the Wahine are currently permitted 12 hours of team workouts a week and can begin a 20-hour-a-week regimen Oct. 14.

Meanwhile, the Rainbow Wahine have added two walk-on guards, freshman Kylie Yung from ‘Iolani, and sophomore Dakota Viena from Maryknoll via a transfer from Hope International.