New starting lineup debuts in Hawai’i loss to UC San Diego

New starting lineup debuts in Hawai’i loss to UC San Diego

Jan 31, 2025

Hawai’i G Aaron Hunkin-Claytor made his first career start on Thursday night, leading the team in assists during UH’s loss to UC San Diego. | Photo Credit: Michael Lasquero, HSRN

New starting lineup debuts in Hawai’i loss to UC San Diego

BY PAUL BRECHT | HONOLULU
PUBLISHED JANUARY 31, 2025

HONOLULU – Make it three. 

The University of Hawai’i men’s basketball team dropped its third consecutive game on Thursday night, falling for the first time in six all-time meetings at home against UC San Diego, 74-63. Turnovers and a cold-shooting second half were among the key factors that contributed to the loss for the Rainbow Warriors, who led by as many as 13 in the opening half before eventually falling to the Tritons. 

Tyler McGhie led all scorers with 24 points for UCSD, scoring 15 after halftime to help the visitors race ahead and not look back as the Tritons resecured their spot in second place in the Big West. Four players in total finished with double-digit points for UC San Diego (18-4, 8-2 Big West), seeing Aniwaniwa Tait-Jones chip in 16 points while Hayden Gray added 13 points despite dealing with foul troubles throughout the game. Nordin Kapic was the other Triton in double figures, totaling 11 points and four rebounds in 24 minutes of action. 

After a brutal road trip that included a pair of soul-crushing losses, the Rainbow Warriors (12-9, 4-6 Big West) made another change to the starting lineup, moving junior Kody Williams to the bench along with Gytis Nemeikša and Ryan Rapp in favor of freshman guard Aaron Hunkin-Claytor, sophomore forward Akira Jacobs and junior forward Harry Rouhliadeff. It marked the first start of the former three-star guard’s college career while Williams came off the bench for the first time this season and thrived with 11 first-half points.

Jacobs and Rapp each added 11 points in the loss for Hawai’i, who shot a scorching hot 7-of-9 from 3-point range as a team in the first half before making only 3-of-13 tries from distance after halftime. It was Jacobs’ second straight game with 10 or more points, seeing the 6-foot-10 forward make his first start since November 26 when the Rainbow Warriors hosted Hawai’i Pacific and fifth overall this season. 

The Tritons, who entered the night ranked in the top 60 nationally in both the NET and KenPom rankings, raced out of the starting blocks with four makes over their first six shot attempts to jump out to a 9-5 lead by the first media timeout. In his first time coming off the bench since late in 2024, Kody Williams quickly lit a fire for Hawai’i after getting fouled behind the arc, knocking down all three free throws to spark an 8-0 run for the Rainbow Warriors that put them up by four with 12:38 left in the opening half. 

Mimicking the conditions outdoors, Hawai’i began to make it rain as Rapp, Williams, and Jacobs took turns drilling 3-pointers to expand the UH lead to 13 with 5:56 remaining until halftime. Mustering just seven points over the same time frame after taking an early lead, UC San Diego recovered to close the half as they responded with a 17-5 run to enter the break trailing the Rainbow Warriors by just one. 

Hawai’i looked to throw the next punch, starting the second half on a 13-5 run behind the creative playmaking of Aaron Hunkin-Claytor – who continued to show off an impressive rapport with Akira Jacobs with a pair of nice feeds that led to points for the lanky forward. The freshman guard did a little bit of everything to begin the final frame, dishing out two of his team-high four assists, grabbing a defensive rebound and drilling a left-wing 3-pointer as the Rainbow Warriors locked down the potent Tritons’ offense. 

The good vibes for Hawai’i quickly flipped after Tanner Christensen committed a flagrant foul with 12:57 left in regulation and Hunkin-Claytor went to the bench. Tyler McGhie knocked down the two free throws from the flagrant, kicking off a 22-3 avalanche from the Tritons to take a 10-point lead with 8:43 left to play. 

Hunkin-Claytor returned after a UH timeout, helping get the wheels rolling again on offense as the Rainbow Warriors traded baskets with the Tritons. The freshman guard and Akira Jacobs combined to make one final push for Hawai’i, pulling the team within six with just under four minutes to play with some nifty passing and smart off-ball movement. 

The comeback effort came too little and too late for Hawai’i though, as Tait-Jones and McGhie sealed the victory for the visitors from the charity stripe to leave the islands still just one game out of the top spot in the Big West. 

Harry Rouhliadeff scored seven points and snagged four rebounds in his first start since UH visited Grand Canyon back at the start of December. Tanner Christensen and Tom Beattie each chipped in six points while Aaron Hunkin-Claytor recorded four points, three rebounds, four assists, three steals and a block in his first collegiate start. 

The Rainbow Warriors struggled with turnovers once again, coughing it up 17 times for 24 points for the Tritons while shooting just 38% from the floor in the second half. Forward Gytis Nemeikša was held scoreless for the first time this season, playing three minutes after halftime and nine minutes total for his shortest appearance of the year. 

Hawai’i will look to snap its three-game losing streak on Saturday when Cal State Fullerton visits the islands for a 7 p.m. (HT) tip-off. The Rainbow Warriors defeated the Titans, 95-86, back on January 11 in Fullerton as part of a three-game winning streak at the start of the new year. 

Weber’s block saves day as HPU downs Menlo in 2nd annual Field Trip Game

Weber’s block saves day as HPU downs Menlo in 2nd annual Field Trip Game

Jan 30, 2025

A student holds up a sign during the 2nd annual “Field Trip Game” as HPU took down Menlo with the held of hundreds of cheering keiki. | Photo Credit: Michael Lasquero, HSRN

Weber’s block saves day as HPU downs Menlo in 2nd annual Field Trip Game

BY PAUL BRECHT | HONOLULU
PUBLISHED JANUARY 30, 2025

HONOLULU – Carried by the keiki. 

In major need of a win after losing five of their last six games, the Hawai’i Pacific University men’s basketball team broke out the secret weapon on Thursday as they returned home to host Menlo. With the help of a few shuttles and very selfless volunteers, hundreds of screaming elementary school students from nearby Noelani and Manoa were safely transported from the classrooms, through the pouring rain, and eventually into the Shark Tank to help cheer on the Sharks to a dramatic 74-71 victory over the Oaks. 

After a successful first year of the “Shark Bite” mentorship program, HPU and the local elementary schools teamed up again for another day of fun in the gym as the young students got to see the people that come to their classrooms each week in action on the court. The Sharks put on a show for the kids, seeing four different players finish in double figures on the way to a critical conference win. 

Joshua West, Charlie Weber and Avi Halpert each totaled 16 points for HPU in the victory, taking turns in the second half to help the Sharks overcome a slim halftime deficit to take down one of the hotter teams in the PacWest. West added 11 rebounds to secure his third double-double of the season while Weber came up with the game-sealing block of Salim Arikat to send the students back to school energized from a victory by the Sharks. 

Patrick Ryan led all scorers with 21 points for Menlo, scoring the Oaks’ first nine points of the game and 13 in all during the first half. Defending PacWest Defender of the Week Landon Seamon had an unusually quiet day on the glass, scoring 17 points but snagging just one board as the Sharks held the star forward in check for much of the afternoon. 

After the Oaks’ hot start to the game, HPU worked quickly to knot the game at 18 as Avi Halpert hit the first of his two 3-pointers on the day with 13 minutes left in the opening half. A rapid blitz in transition from Menlo freshman guard Nick Davidson helped the visitors regain the lead, but a nice finish in the final minute of the half from Halpert pulled the Sharks within a possession and sent the team into the locker room with some momentum. 

HPU guard Avi Halpert drives by a defender on the way to the basket during the Sharks’ 74-71 victory over Menlo. | Photo Credit: Michael Lasquero, HSRN

HPU would surge ahead to start the second half, taking the team’s first lead of the game five minutes out of the break as Tucker Pellicci knocked down a pair of free throws to make it 40-39. Some quality minutes from Jakob Kimura pushed the Sharks’ lead to as many as seven, helping the hosts shave off valuable time from the clock as they traded baskets with Menlo. 

Joshua West looked to deliver the dagger for HPU with 1:38 left to play, but turnovers, missed free throws and a slippery floor helped the Oaks make a rapid dash to pull within three with five seconds left and the ball. After a timeout, Menlo executed a sideline out-of-bounds play beautifully, getting what looked like a clean look for Salim Arikat from the top of the key to tie. 

Flying in came Charlie Weber. 

The 6-foot-9 forward denied Arikat’s attempt, sending the ball to the floor as the buzzer sounded and hundreds of elementary schoolers screamed in delight. In total, the HPU defense held Menlo to a 2-of-17 performance from long distance as the Sharks shot back up into PacWest Tournament contention. 

Pavle Kuzmanovic added 10 points and two rebounds off the bench for HPU, knocking down two of the Sharks’ nine makes from behind the arc. Jakob Kimura chipped in five points and drilled his first 3-pointer in nearly a month to help spark the Sharks in the second half. Tucker Pellicci finished the day with four points, three rebounds and two blocks to provide a massive defensive spark. 

You can catch the recording of this and other HPU Sharks Athletics broadcasts in our archives or under ‘Hawaii Sports Radio Network’ where you get most podcasts. 

Hawai’i escapes UC San Diego with sweaty overtime victory

Hawai’i escapes UC San Diego with sweaty overtime victory

Jan 30, 2025

Hawai’i G Kelsie Imai handles the ball during a home game. The senior guard had a season-high 10 points while dishing out four assists to move into 9th place all-time for UH in career assists. | Photo Credit: Michael Lasquero, HSRN

Hawai’i escapes UC San Diego with sweaty overtime victory

BY PAUL BRECHT | HONOLULU
PUBLISHED JANUARY 30, 2025

They don’t ask how, they ask how many. 

The University of Hawai’i women’s basketball team extended its season-long win streak to eight games on Thursday evening, outlasting UC San Diego in overtime, 65-63. The Rainbow Wahine saw multiple defensive breakdowns late, but a 19-point, 8-rebound performance from senior guard Lily Wahinekapu helped UH survive. 

Imani Perez and Kelsie Imai also finished in double figures for Hawai’i (14-6, 8-2 Big West), doing a little bit of everything on both ends to help the Rainbow Wahine avoid a second-half collapse. Perez scored 11 points to go along with four rebounds, three assists and a pair of steals while Imai added 10 points, a trio of boards and dished out four assists as the senior guard moved into sole possession of ninth place on the all-time Rainbow Wahine career assists list (294). 

Redshirt sophomore Jovi Lefotu finished with eight points off the bench for UH and scored the game-winning basket with just under a minute to play in overtime after backing down and finishing a layup over a defender. The Rainbow Wahine also won the rebounding battle for the eighth consecutive outing, outworking the Tritons on the glass to a 40-35 advantage. 

UC San Diego was led by guard Sumayah Sugapong, who poured in 17 points to go with seven rebounds and five assists before fouling out with less than two minutes left in overtime. Sabrina Ma trailed right behind with 16 points of her own on 4-of-5 shooting from distance as four different Tritons finished in double digits in the loss. 

The Tritons (10-12, 6-4 Big West) started hot, scoring the first six points of the game before Lily Wahinekapu got Hawai’i on the board with a left-corner triple. Imani Perez provided the visiting Rainbow Wahine with their first lead of the evening just over a minute later, finishing a running layup to cap off a 7-0 run from UH. 

Hawai’i’s lead grew to two possessions after Wahinekapu drained her second 3-pointer of the opening frame, helping the Rainbow Wahine capitalize while the defense muddied up the UCSD offense. The Tritons finally found some daylight to end the quarter as Sabrina Ma made her first three of the game and Junae Mahan banked in a close-range jumper just before the horn to send UC San Diego into the second quarter trailing by just four. 

Perez started to get hot from behind the arc to start the second stanza, drilling the first of two 3-pointers in the period as Hawai’i extended the lead into double digits with eight minutes left in the opening half. The Tritons answered with an 11-4 run, pulling back within three with over a minute left before halftime, but Perez’s second long-range make of the frame sent the Rainbow Wahine into the locker rooms leading 32-26. 

The offensive success to close the first half for UC San Diego carried over into the third quarter as the hosting Tritons outscored Hawai’i in the frame by six. After Mia ‘Uhila knocked down her only triple of the game to put the Rainbow Wahine up by seven with 6:34 left in the quarter, UCSD would double up UH the rest of the way as the Tritons came storming back to tie the game at 46 after three frames. 

UC San Diego’s Ma pushed the Tritons over the top to open the fourth quarter, banking in a three to give a 49-46 lead to the hosts. The sides continued wrestling for the lead until Jovi Lefotu tied the game at 54 with a driving layup and her sister Lily Wahinekapu inched Hawai’i ahead again after collecting a miss from Kelsie Imai and putting it back up with 1:08 left in regulation. 

After Sumayah Sugapong knotted things at 56 on the following possession, Wahinekapu gave fans déjà vu with another offensive rebound and putback for the lead with 36 seconds left to play to the delight of the Hawai’i bench. After a foul and a timeout from the Tritons, UH suffered a defensive miscue as Sabrina Ma came screaming wide open off of a pair of screens and drilled the go-ahead 3-pointer for UC San Diego with 17 seconds remaining. 

Down 59-58, the Rainbow Wahine went back to their leading scorer as Wahinekapu worked her way to the line with under 10 seconds on the clock and made one of the two free throws to tie the game at 59-all. After another UCSD timeout, Sugapong got an excellent look to win it at the buzzer for the hosts but sent the layup too strong towards the rim as Hawai’i’s 7-game win streak briefly looked in critical danger.

UCSD’s Gracie Gallegos got the scoring started in overtime, but Wahinekapu quickly returned the Rainbow Wahine to poll position with the help of a friendly bounce on her third 3-pointer of the night. Ma would put the Tritons ahead again with 3:01 left in the extra period as she calmly knocked down two free throws. 

After two minutes of trading defensive stops, Lefotu snapped the scoring drought as she backed down her defender from the elbow into the paint and smoothly finished with her right hand to put Hawai’i in front by one with 58 seconds remaining. Wahinekapu added a free throw for slight insurance with eight seconds left to give UH a two-point advantage before the Tritons’ last-ditch effort to tie or take the lead. 

After the ball got knocked out of bounds by the Rainbow Wahine with just over a second remaining, a beautiful baseline set saw a UCSD player streak wide open under the basket but be unable to get the shot off in time as Hawai’i survived in overtime, 65-63. 

The victory for Hawai’i helped the Rainbow Wahine remain in a tie at the top of the Big West Conference with UC Irvine, who beat Long Beach State on Thursday night to bounce back from last Saturday’s loss at UH. The eight-game win streak is the longest for head coach Laura Beeman’s team since 2022, when Hawai’i went on to win the Big West Tournament championship. 

They’ll look to make in nine in a row on Saturday when second rounds against conference opponents begin. Hawai’i will visit Cal State Fullerton for an early tip-off (2 p.m. PT/ noon HT) to close out the road trip. 

Mana Wahine Wednesday: Hawai’i T&F thrower Valo Sopoaga

Mana Wahine Wednesday: Hawai’i T&F thrower Valo Sopoaga

Jan 29, 2025

PHOTO CREDIT: HAWAII ATHLETICS

Mana Wahine Wednesday: Hawai’i T&F thrower Valo Sopoaga

BY PAUL BRECHT | HONOLULU
PUBLISHED JANUARY 29, 2025

HONOLULU – For University of Hawai’i sophomore Valo Sopoaga, getting the “athlete” gene was never a question. 

The daughter of former University of Hawai’i standout and 8-year NFL veteran Isaac Sopoaga, Valo is preparing for her second season competing for the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa’s track and field program. Her first season at UH was a strong foundational year, seeing the 5-foot-8 shot put thrower finish 16th at the MPSF Indoor Championships and set personal records in the Big West Championships in both the hammer throw (43.58m) and shot put (13.20m) to close her first go-round of competition in Hawai’i apparel. 

A 2023 graduate of Kaiser high school, Sopoaga moved around quite a bit during her childhood before settling down in Hawai’i. Born in San Antonio, Sopoaga got to traveling from a young age as her mom’s career in the army and dad’s career as a professional athlete made for movement to feel normal. 

The family spent time in San Jose while her father played for the San Francisco 49ers, moving to the east coast around her third-grade year as her dad spent two years between the Philadelphia Eagles and New England Patriots before retiring. After the elder Sopoaga’s retirement, the family returned to California until a vacation to Hawai’i turned into much more. 

“We actually were here in Hawai’i for vacation and my dad was helping coach the football team at Kaiser,” Valo recalled. “It was at the beginning of the school year and then it just got extended and we’ve been here for about nine years now and it’s been so much fun.” 

PHOTO CREDIT: Greg Yamamoto / ScoringLive

She started playing organized sports in sixth grade, giving basketball an extremely brief try before finding a love for volleyball. Sopoaga immediately got involved with club volleyball and worked constantly to improve, attending the Rainbow Wahine summer volleyball camps up through her senior year of high school as she pursued a college roster spot. 

With club volleyball winding down to close her 12th grade year, Sopoaga decided to give track and field a try. She recalled her mother always talking about her time competing in track and field during her middle school and high school years while her dad dabbled in track and field as well when he wasn’t dominating on the gridiron. 

The love for the sport grew rapidly as she found fast success in the shot put despite never competing for an organized team in any organized events prior. In her first and only season competing in high school track and field, Sopoaga swept the trifecta of the 2023 OIA East Girls title, All-OIA Girls title and HHSAA state championship in girls’ shotput. 

While she had committed in the fall to go to a school in Oregon to continue her volleyball career, she had started to chat with the University of Hawai’i track and field coaching staff throughout her senior year. While they did not actively push her to decommit, Sopoaga certainly knew there would be interest in having her on the Hawai’i track and field team if she decided to instead go to UH. 

“She understood how important volleyball is to me,” Sopoaga recalled of her conversations with UH throwing coach Sabrina Mendoza. “But I was just set on going to school on the mainland, I was preparing emotionally because I knew I’d be away from my family.” 

The decision was no longer as cut-and-dry as it once had seemed, though.  

Oozing potential as a thrower with high-level success with only one season of training, Sopoaga saw a chance to stay closer to family while pursuing a sport that had rapidly tracked down volleyball as her favorite activity. As the summer chugged along, Sopoaga says she prayed (and cried) a lot to try and choose a path. 

There were creative options, like trying to do both by spending two years with her original choice of volleyball before coming back home and potentially giving another shot to shot put. There was the thought of following through on her original commitment and leaving her family behind as she had tried so hard to prepare for emotionally. 

And, of course, there was the option of staying home. 

“I think when I finally received reassurance and an answer to what I wanted to do for college, thinking about UH, I just felt so happy,” she said. “I’d be able to stay home, be with my family.” 

Plus, the summer and the process reminded her of one particularly important detail. 

“Thinking about going away, I know for me, I get homesick very easily,” Sopoaga chuckled. 

The decision delighted Sopoaga’s parents, who like many parents had begrudgingly prepared for their daughter to leave the protection of home for the continent. As they prepared to say goodbye, Sopoaga excitedly broke the news. 

“They were so happy,” she remembered. “I’ve been loving every second here at UH since then.”  

The University of Hawai’i’s track and field team has loved having the talented thrower as well. While year one introduced her to the college scene with a major focus on getting the key basic techniques down, her growth promises to extend each season with her standout strength. 

She’s a natural. Now watch her work. 

PHOTO CREDIT: Valo Sopoaga Instagram (@juiceelyfee)

Fourth quarter magic helps lift Hawai’i over UC Irvine, save Beeman’s Bigger Bash

Fourth quarter magic helps lift Hawai’i over UC Irvine, save Beeman’s Bigger Bash

Jan 26, 2025

Hawai’i G Lily Wahinekapu shoots a 3-pointer during the Rainbow Wahine’s comeback on Saturday night against UC Irvine. The senior guard had 13 points, 7 in the 4th quarter to help lead UH to another victory. | Photo Credit: Michael Lasquero, HSRN

Fourth quarter magic helps lift Hawai’i over UC Irvine, save Beeman’s Bigger Bash

BY PAUL BRECHT | HONOLULU
PUBLISHED JANUARY 26, 2025

HONOLULU – The race to the top. 

Celebrating “Beeman’s Bigger Bash” in front of the largest crowd of the season, the University of Hawai’i women’s basketball team moved into a tie for first place in the conference standings on Saturday night with a gritty 46-42 win over defending Big West Tournament champion UC Irvine. Freshman center Ritorya Tamilo recorded her first career double-double, tallying 11 points and 11 rebounds while coming up with a big block late in the fourth quarter, delighting the 3,000-plus fans in the building and sending them home happy as the Rainbow Wahine racked up the team’s seventh straight victory. 

“[The crowd was] unbelievable,” Hawai’i head coach Laura Beeman said of the fans in attendance. “The energy, the defense [chants], the [Let’s go ‘Bows chants], they gave us the extra juice that we needed … It was an incredible environment.”

Lily Wahinekapu tied for the game-high with 13 points to lead Hawai’i, scoring seven points in the fourth quarter as the Rainbow Wahine took control of the game. Imani Perez chipped in nine points while matching her career high with 10 rebounds to help UH end the week sharing space atop the Big West with UCI and Long Beach State. 

In her second start this year and first since November, Mia ‘Uhila provided a little bit of everything for UH as she put up six points, grabbed six rebounds and handed out a team-high four assists. MeiLani McBee, who set the Hawai’i program record for career games with her 127th appearance for the Rainbow Wahine on Saturday, scored four points and grabbed four rebounds in the victory. 

“Just an absolutely gritty performance by this team,” Beeman proudly stated postgame. “For this team to have the grit that they did, figure things out after that first half and do what they did – particularly in that fourth quarter – I think that we probably gained a lot of fans tonight with how we played and how we responded. [I] could not be more proud of them.”

MeiLani McBee closes out in the 4th quarter of Hawai’i’s comeback win against UC Irvine. McBee broke the UH program record for career games on Saturday, appearing for Hawai’i for the 127th time. | Photo Credit: Michael Lasquero, HSRN

Tamilo got the Rainbow Wahine out to a solid start, scoring the team’s first five points as they took a two-point lead into night’s first media timeout while holding UCI to one make over 11 shot attempts to begin the action. The sides flipped fortunes offensively to end the opening frame, seeing UH go without a point over the final 6:45 of the quarter and the Anteaters drain a pair of 3-pointers to go into the second quarter leading by a score, 11-5. 

The scoring drought continued two more minutes into the second frame before Imani Perez finally joined Tamilo in the box sheet with a layup off a pretty feed from Jovi Lefotu. After a bucket from Lefotu herself, Lily Wahinekapu drained a pair of threes to get the crowd back into it as she made it a two-point game with 3:16 left before halftime. 

UC Irvine remained calm, punching back with a mini run of their own as Summah Hanson drained a 3-pointer to give the Anteaters a 22-15 lead with 68 seconds left in the second quarter. Mia ‘Uhila sliced through lane for a nice finish with 34 seconds remaining, helping jerk the momentum back towards Hawai’i as the first half ended with UCI still in front. 

The third quarter started with a renewed focus for the Rainbow Wahine, seeing the hosts score the first six points out of the break to take a one-point lead to force a timeout from the Anteaters. A fired-up Beeman welcomed the team back to the bench after the start that saw three different players score and UH be the first to multiple 50-50 balls. 

“Sometimes, whether we’re playing well or we’re not playing well, these guys need to know that we absolutely believe in them,” Beeman said of her extra fiery welcome into the timeout for her team. “That timeout – I was just incredibly proud of just the grit, the confidence … Yeah, I don’t get that pumped up often but that warranted it, and I needed these guys to know that I was just incredibly proud of what they were doing out there.” 

The timeout helped UC Irvine calm the energy in the building, scoring the next seven points to fight back in front as Hunter Hernandez drilled a 3-pointer to make it 29-23 in favor of the Anteaters. After Deja Lee’s layup with 1:58 left in the third quarter gave UCI an eight-point advantage, Hawai’i took the final three points of the frame from the free throw line to go into the final 10 minutes trailing 33-28. 

Much like the start to the previous quarter, Hawai’i began the fourth on fire as Wahinekapu drained her third 3-pointer of the game before finding a cutting Imani Perez two possessions later to put the Rainbow Wahine back in front with seven minutes to play, 35-34. 

The UH advantage grew to six with two minutes left after a pair of free throws from Tamilo, a tough finish from McBee and a steal-and-score from Wahinekapu. The defense locked down UCI over the first nine minutes of the fourth quarter, holding the Anteaters without a make from the floor until Lauryn Madsen’s first make of the game ended the drought with a 3-pointer to pull the visitors within two with 43 seconds left in regulation. 

After an ‘Uhila layup pushed the Hawai’i advantage back to two possessions, UCI’s Lee drilled another 3-pointer to cut the lead to 43-42 with 31 seconds still on the clock. Forced to make clutch free throws, Wahinekapu and Lefotu stepped up and cashed in on 3-of-4 tries from the charity stripe to seal the victory for Hawai’i. 

Defending Big West Player of the Year Deja Lee finished with 13 points on 5-of-14 shooting for UC Irvine, giving the Rainbow Wahine a scare late despite suffering an injury suffered in the second half. Hunter Hernandez added 11 points for the Anteaters, shooting a ghastly 3-of-15 from the floor as the UH defense continued an incredible defensive run through conference play. 

Hawai’i will look to extend the team’s 7-game win streak when they return to action next week, hitting the road to face UC San Diego on Thursday before visiting Cal State Fullerton on Saturday. 

____________________________________

Uniform contest seen to completion; “sUHrf City” design comes to life 

In July 2024, Uni Watch and the University of Hawai’i partnered together for the first-ever contest to allow a fan-designed uniform to be worn in an NCAA regular season game. With over 100 submissions from fans all over the world, Colorado Springs-native Isaac Daggett’s design was chosen as the winner to be developed and donned against UC Irvine in one of the Rainbow Wahine’s biggest games of the season. 

Hawai’i shares shakas with the crowd in the spiffy “sUHrf City” uniforms, the first time a fan-designed uniform was worn for a regular season NCAA game. | Photo Credit: Michael Lasquero, HSRN

Daggett was also flown out to the islands for the game, seeing his uniform design that went from two-dimensional concept to three-dimensional drip in person. The contest’s execution was done so well that national outlets such as espnW and Front Office Sports took notice and promoted the event in the days leading up to the game. 

“The guy who designed it is just absolutely fabulous,” said Laura Beeman after the game. “To be the first team [to do a contest like that] … it was a really cool look, for sure.”