Sharks Weekly: Fresh Faces, Familiar Heart — A New Chapter for HPU Women’s Basketball

A new season of Hawai‘i Pacific University women’s basketball is on the horizon, and with it comes a wave of new energy under first-year head coach Brent Gibson. The latest episode of Sharks Weekly, hosted by Bailey Furman, offered fans a closer look at the people and purpose driving the Sharks into this next era.

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For Gibson, the journey to the islands has been a long and winding one — from playing college basketball in Florida to coaching in Kentucky and Arkansas before settling in Hawai‘i. After serving as an assistant under former head coach Ray Alvarado, Gibson now leads a program almost entirely rebuilt, featuring 15 new players and a renewed sense of direction.

“I was really focused on trying to move up the ladder,” Gibson reflected, “but what I’ve learned is that it’s not about chasing titles — it’s about building something special where you are. And there’s no better place to do that than here.”

That focus on foundation has become the heartbeat of his philosophy. Gibson emphasizes service, humility, and togetherness — values he says he learned from his father, also a basketball coach.

“When you’re part of a team, it’s not about you,” he told Furman. “We talk a lot about being here for something bigger than yourself.”

Among the players embracing that mindset are local guard Kyra Tanabe, a two-time state champion from ʻIolani School, and forward Abbey Hadsell, a transfer from California’s Sonoma State. Tanabe, who returned home for her final year of eligibility, said the opportunity to represent Hawai‘i again made her decision easy.

“It’s so special to come back and play in front of my family and friends,” she said. “Coach Gibson trusted me from day one, and that made all the difference.”

Hadsell’s path to HPU was less expected. When Sonoma State suddenly discontinued its athletics program, she found herself searching for a new home.

“Coach was honest with me — he didn’t know yet if he’d be named head coach, but he said he planned to be here either way,” she recalled. “That honesty and consistency really stood out.”

Together, the two seniors have emerged as early leaders on a young team still discovering its chemistry. Tanabe admits the adjustment period has been a challenge but says the atmosphere is grounded in positivity and open communication.

“Coach always keeps his door open,” she said. “He listens, and that’s helped us build trust from the start.”

That sense of connection extends well beyond the hardwood. Under Gibson’s direction, the Sharks have already immersed themselves in the community — volunteering at Luluku Farms and local lo‘i patches, hosting an Elite Camp for youth players, and preparing to assist at an upcoming Special Olympics event. For Gibson, these moments are just as important as the games themselves.

“It’s not just about basketball,” he said. “It’s about giving these young women experiences that help them grow — understanding the land, the people, and the responsibility that comes with representing Hawai‘i.”

Hadsell said the service work has been eye-opening. “I’d never done anything like working in the lo‘i before,” she laughed. “It was messy, but it was amazing. You really get to see what makes this place special.”

As the Sharks prepare for their first exhibition of the year — a crosstown matchup against the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa — Gibson is focused less on results and more on resilience. “We’re not going to play our best basketball in October,” he said. “Our best needs to come in February and March. This is about the long game.”

With new faces, renewed purpose, and a coach committed to building from the ground up, HPU women’s basketball is diving head-first into a new era — one built on trust, culture, and community.