Well, now what?
The Hawaii women’s basketball team must figure out how to handle the loss of its top scorer and rebounder — with three weeks to go until the Big West tournament — following Tuesday afternoon’s news that forward Makenna Woodfolk is leaving the program due to her pregnancy.
UH (11-13, 7-4 BWC) was surging, having won four of five to move into a second-place tie with five regular-season games remaining. A regular-season championship was probably out of reach with UC Davis sitting at 10-1, but a bye (or two, if UH finished second) was a distinct possibility.
It might still be, but that outlook is now clouded. Woodfolk, a 6-foot-2 junior from Tacoma, Wash., sported a smooth inside-outside game and started all 24 games to date in 2018-19. She’s contributed 10.7 points and 5.2 rebounds and was the Rainbow Wahine’s best shot blocker as well, having swatted nearly one a game.
That noted, UH hasn’t overly relied on any one player and Woodfolk had been reasonably quiet for much of conference play. Her 12-point, four-rebound performance in a 63-49 win over Long Beach State on Saturday was just the second time in the past six games she scored in double figures.
Coach Laura Beeman expressed confidence in her remaining group in a phone call Tuesday night.
“As a program, we are going to move on,” Beeman said. “We love her, we support her, our goal is to get her her degree. But the 11 or 12 girls we still have left in the locker room, we have a goal and a mission.
“We’ve got a huge game Thursday night (against UC Irvine), and we’re going to get in the (Big West) tournament. When we get there, and hopefully we’re a 2, 3 or a 4 seed, and we’re gonna take care of business. That’s where our focus is and that’s where our energy is going to go.”
Senior forward Lahni Salanoa, a former starter who has come off the bench this season, and emerging freshman post Myrrah Joseph are likely Beeman’s main candidates to start in Woodfolk’s stead. Leah Salanoa (9.0 points and 5.0 rebounds) is UH’s new leading producer.
“I think we’ve had good depth all season long, both at guard and our front line,” Beeman said. “It’s just gonna open up minutes. With Lauren (center Rewers), Myrrah, Amy (wing Atwell), Lahni, we have the luxury of having Leah, who can be moved to a 4. So we definitely have the depth that we need.”
Beeman did not wish to speculate if Woodfolk will rejoin the team for a theoretical senior season.
Woodfolk stated in UH’s release Tuesday: “My recent pregnancy has allowed me time to think about my status with the women’s basketball team. Unfortunately, I have decided to stop playing basketball and focus on my academic progress and taking care of myself physically and mentally during this pregnancy. I am sad to leave the program because my teammates and coaches are like family to me and I don’t want to let them down. I know the timing is not optimal, but I feel it is not in my best interest to continue playing. I appreciate my basketball ‘Ohana and all they have done to support me, especially with this difficult decision.”
UH did not make Woodfolk available for further comment.