Beeman brings confidence to Wahine

To new Hawaii women’s basketball coach Laura Beeman, confidence is derived from preparation.

Beeman had reason to be confident at her introductory press conference on Friday at Les Murakami Stadium. She’d prepared for that moment for most of her professional career.

Her teams found success at each of her coaching stops, from 15 years leading at Mt. San Antonio College, to a one-year stint assisting with the WNBA’s Los Angeles Sparks, to the past two seasons as the associate head coach at Southern California. Now she will try to turn the Rainbow Wahine into a winner against the weight of five straight losing seasons in Manoa, with no postseason appearances since the 2003 WNIT.

Beeman, the eighth coach in program history, was awarded a three-year contract by UH athletic director Jim Donovan. Indications were she will receive upwards of the roughly $125,000 Dana Takahara-Dias received annually prior to her non-renewal on March 7.

Beeman, 43, is confident she can lead the team to success in the Wahine’s next go-round in the Big West Conference, which coincides with her first season. The California-based league overlaps with much of her primary recruiting territory.

“We’re going to have good basketball that people want to see, want to sit in the stands and watch,” Beeman said. “We’re going to be competitive. We’re going to get in the Big West tournament and turn some heads. And I’d like to get in the NCAA tournament. I don’t know if that’s feasible next year, but within the next three it will be.”

Her resume would suggest she can back up the bold words. Beeman boasted a winning percentage of .780 (390-110) at Mt. SAC, where she cut her coaching teeth. While there, her teams won four California Community College State Championships to go with 10 conference titles. She didn’t miss the postseason once, and her best teams went 37-1 in 2007 and ’08. Her teams under Michael Cooper at USC were competitive as well; the 2011-12 Women of Troy narrowly missed out on the NCAA tournament at 18-12.

“Far and away the committee felt unanimously that we got the best coach,” Donovan said. “She’s done a phenomenal job.”

None of the four-member search advisory committee was familiar with Beeman before the process, Donovan said, but the content of her resume stood out — not least of all her students’ 96 percent matriculation rate. She beat out four other finalists for the job, including current UH associate head coach Gavin Petersen.

“We’re fortunate that she put out her resume, and when that came along we went ‘Wow. This is very impressive,’ said UH associate athletic director Marilyn Moniz-Kahoohanohano, a member of the committee. “You can just tell (she was worthy) by her demeanor and her knowledge of basketball. Her long, extensive experience. But what stood out to me was her winning tradition. No fear in saying we’re going to win.”

Beeman, a record-setting point guard at Cal State San Bernardino, met with her new players prior to Friday’s press conference. She spoke of her vision of an up-and-down offensive style that features fullcourt pressure and man-to-man defense, while also staying disciplined and limiting turnovers — an epidemic for the Wahine in recent seasons.

“I’ll admit it. We were all nervous,” Beeman said of the players meeting. “And once we broke that ice, then I think everything was smooth sailing. I told them a little bit about myself, I told them a little bit about my expectations. But I really wanted to hear from them. So I allowed them to ask me a lot of questions and tell me some concerns, and addressed the ones that I could.”

Beeman was already familiar with UH wing Vicky Tagalicod, who transferred out of USC in the fall of 2010 to be closer to home. Beeman said she had a “good, open and honest relationship” with Tagalicod, and approved of her move.

“Myself, as well as the whole team, I think we were all very nervous to meet her,” UH’s Ashleigh Karaitiana said. “We didn’t know what to expect, but once the conversation got flowing, it made us all more comfortable. We’re really excited to work with her.”

Beeman exuded plenty of excitement herself. When informed that national powerhouse Baylor, featuring forward Brittney Griner, is on UH’s schedule next season, the new coach laughed.

“Wonderful. Bring them on. David and Goliath, I’ll take it any time.”

First, she must complete her coaching staff. Then she’ll have at least three scholarships to award during the upcoming spring signing period, which begins April 11. She expressed confidence she’d be able to keep the best local players home and attract talent from the West Coast.

“There’s a bright future ahead of us,” Beeman said. “Hawaii offers a wonderful situation to come in and win immediately.”