The first assist between Kallin Spiller and McKenna Haire was delivered via Zoom.
Haire and Spiller were soon-to-be Ivy League graduates who had committed to continue their college basketball careers at the University of Hawaii when they made their introductions on a Facetime call.
Haire was crafting a documentary for her senior thesis at Princeton and their initial conversation led her to ask Spiller, who was finishing her degree work at Columbia, to contribute an interview to the project.
Haire’s exploration of the impact of virtual connections would help forge an enduring bond with Spiller.
“She was a part of my project and she actually became the highlight of my senior thesis,” Haire said. “So I think that got us super excited to be teammates and it’s been a little fairy tale ever since with her.”
The basketball chapter of their shared story is approaching its conclusion and Haire and Spiller open their final homestand at SimpliFi Arena at Stan Sheriff Center tonight when the Rainbow Wahine (13-14, 11-7 Big West) play host to Cal State Northridge (7-22, 6-13).
The duo will then be honored with the traditional senior night ceremony on Saturday following UH’s regular-season finale against UC Santa Barbara (19-9, 12-6).
“It’s a big week and I hope people come out and support these two young women who’ve completely embraced Hawaii,” UH coach Laura Beeman said. “They epitomize aloha and getting out in the community and all the things you want from your players.”
UH entered the week fourth in the Big West and aiming to leapfrog UCSB for the third seed in next week’s Big West Tournament in Henderson, Nev.
The Rainbow Wahine will enter the tournament as defending champions, and Beeman credits the locker room presence of the graduate transfers in complementing the on-court production of conference player of the year Amy Atwell during last season’s title run.
“Last year we would not have won that championship had it not been for those two,” Beeman said on Tuesday.
“What they have done for me as far as their head coach is they make my life incredibly easy, just knowing they’re going to handle their responsibilities of helping these young women grow up, making sure they know what to do in the class-room, making sure they know what to do when it comes to time management. They’ve been amazing.”
On the court, Haire’s first season at UH ended after 15 games due to a foot injury. A shooting guard originally from North Carolina, Haire returned to full duty this season with five starts in 23 appearances and turned in a career performance in UH’s win at CSUN on Jan. 16 when she went 6-for-8 from 3-point range in an 18-point afternoon.
Spiller, a 6-foot-3 forward who began her career at Seattle University before transferring to Columbia, carries a streak of 39 consecutive starts into today’s game and ranks second in the Big West with 7.2 rebounds per game while averaging 8.7 points.
Moving to Hawaii marked a re-start in their basketball careers after the Ivy League elected not to compete amid COVID conditions in the 2020-21 season.
Upon receiving virtual sendoffs from Princeton and Columbia, they faced decisions on whether, and where, to pursue graduate degrees and finish out their remaining two years of basketball eligibility.
Spiller had done a summer internship at Goldman Sachs and had an offer for a full-time position an an analyst with the company in New York when she instead committed to UH.
“Choosing to spend my graduate seasons at Hawaii was the greatest decision I’ve ever made,” Spiller said. “I’ve grown so much as a person and as a player and had so many experiences here on and off the court that I could never have imagined to have.
“I feel so thankful that I’ve gotten to follow both my academic and athletic passions. At this point, it’s really been the perfect storm of academics, athletics and fun off the court.”
Meanwhile, Haire was in a relationship with Jerome Desrosiers at Princeton but was “looking everywhere but Hawaii,” even after Desrosiers committed to the UH men’s basketball team as a graduate transfer.
“Finally, I had a few people who I really admire and listen to sit me down and say, ‘Why aren’t you looking at Hawaii? That would just be an incredible experience for you two. … You get to play in Hawaii and live that dream,’” Haire recalled.
Upon speaking with Beeman it was a “no brainer, I’m going, this is going to happen.”
Spiller and Haire were selected as team captains this season along with sophomore guard Olivia Davies, who had season-ending surgery in January. The Wahine have since lost guard Jovi Lefotu and freshman Jacque David to injuries and freshman forward Avery Watkins also missed last week’s road trip due to injury.
Through the adversity, Beeman spoke of the Wahine taking on an approach of “we’re going to get through this, and we’re going to be there for each other. Let’s readjust our ‘why’ a little bit and who and what we’re playing for. Kallin and Mack have been a central voice to that.”
After finishing off her second master’s degree, Spiller plans to continue pursuing professional basketball. Haire said she and Desrosiers, now a volunteer assistant with the Rainbow Warriors, are exploring their options regarding their next steps after completing their college journey.
“It’s been magical,” Haire said. “It’s definitely a time we’ll never forget in our lives.”
Pink Night, senior night special
Tonight’s game has been designated “Play4Kay/Pink Night.” Fans are encouraged to wear pink to the game as part of the effort to raise awareness for the fight against cancer.
UH also encourages fans to wear aloha apparel to Saturday’s senior night game. Admission to the game will be free for youths ages 4 to high school.
Big West women’s basketball
At SimpliFi Arena at Stan Sheriff Center
Cal State Northridge (7-22, 6-13 BWC) vs. Hawaii (13-14, 11-7)
>> When: 7 p.m. today
>> TV: Spectrum Sports
>> Radio: 1500-AM
