If Laura Beeman has anything to say about it, her team’s improvement will be a never-ending story.
Hawaii women’s basketball opens full practices for the 2013-14 season today, coming off a 2012-13 season in which the Rainbow Wahine made vast strides under their first-year head coach.
UH went 17-14 (13-5 in the Big West, tied for second) and, despite an upset loss in its first game of the BWC tournament, qualified for the WNIT for the first time in a decade. It was the program’s first winning season since 2006-07.
"We want to do better than what we did last year," Beeman. "We’re excited to not pick up where we left off, because we don’t like where we left off, but to build upon last season."
Beeman brought in six newcomers to join nine returnees from that squad. Three of the fresh faces — guard Morgan Mason, forward Shawlina Segovia and center Ashley Burchfield — hail from Mt. San Antonio College, where Beeman had her first head coaching job.
Almost the entire core returns: senior forward Kamilah Martin, a career 1,000-point scorer and the team’s top rebounder who was an All-Big West first-team selection; senior wing Shawna Kuehu, the BWC Sixth Woman of the Year; senior guard Sydney Haydel, the BWC Defensive Player of the Year; and BWC All-Freshman teamer Ashleigh Karaitiana. Junior center Kalei Adolpho will return after volleyball season.
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RAINBOW WAHINE BASKETBALL
Losses: PG Monica DeAngelis; C Stephanie Ricketts; SG Kanisha Bello; G/F Vicky Tagalicod; C Brianna Higgins
Returnees: PG Marissa Wimbley, So.; SG Sydney Haydel, Sr.; G Ashleigh Karaitiana, Jr.; G/F Shawna Kuehu, Sr.; G/F Destiny King, So.; G/F Diane Moore, Sr.; PF Kamilah Martin, Sr.; C Pua Kailiawa, Sr.; C Kalei Adolpho, Jr.
Additions: PG Briana Harris, Fr.; G Morgan Mason, Jr.; G Hi‘ilei Bacalso, So.; PF Shawlina Segovia, Jr.; C Angelina Smith, Fr.; C Ashley Burchfield, Jr.
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"I’m really excited. Watching the young ladies, and just their overall skill development, their improvement, it’s been really exciting to see," Beeman said of preseason team workouts. "Just their ability to handle the ball cleaner and make better passes. Being stronger with the ball and stronger with their moves. So it’s been really encouraging. A pleasant surprise to see how hard they worked over the summer."
The Wahine open the regular season on Nov. 9 at Arizona State, but first have a home exhibition against Hawaii Hilo on Oct. 30. UH will use this month to install offensive sets, a fullcourt press and press-breaker.
"We’ve done the individual skill work and all that stuff. Now it’s putting it together," Beeman said.
Beeman will have a new starting point guard to replace the departed Monica DeAngelis. Candidates are sophomore Marissa Wimbley, last year’s backup; Briana Harris, a true freshman from California; sophomore Destiny King, who can play multiple positions; and Mason, a two-time JUCO state champion with Mt. SAC.
NOTES
Karaitiana is now listed as a junior. The Australia/New Zealand dual citizen was docked a year of eligibility even while sitting out games in the 2011-12 season because the NCAA determined she needed "to sit a year in residence," according to UH.
