Mosley’s moment arrives

It’s about time.

Not so much that it has taken this long for Hawaii to finally recognize an arena-sport athlete, which will happen when the first retired jersey is hung in the Stan Sheriff Center on Saturday evening.

It’s about time in terms of the legacy that is Rainbow Wahine basketball. The late Judy Mosley-McAfee was the program’s first All-America honoree, but there were those who laid the groundwork over a decade earlier, who played in the days before full scholarships and an all-intercollegiate schedule.

Shelley Kahuanui Fey remembers playing against Hawaii while competing in the local community college and military leagues before she began her Rainbow Wahine career (1976-78).

"Title IX had just kicked in when I was in high school, Kamehameha had just started girls basketball and we felt like we were kind of an experiment," said Fey, the chair of the physical education department at Punahou. "The Wahine had only been a program for a couple of years (officially starting in 1974) when I began playing for them.

"I remember playing USF in Blaisdell (Arena) and getting beaten by 30 points. But it was fun to be in that kind of an arena, with competition at a high level. We took our lumps. We didn’t think much of it, but looking back, that was the forefront of the opportunities that are available today.

"It’s so inspiring to see where the program has gone, including the exciting teams of the Vince Goo era (1987-2004)."

Mosley’s sophomore year coincided with Goo’s first year as head coach in 1987. That team went 14-14, but the next two seasons the Wahine were a combined 46-14, including 28-4 Mosley’s senior year, with consecutive NCAA tournament appearances for the only time ever.

Some of Goo’s other great players will return to the court Saturday for the alumnae game at 2 p.m. Among them are Nani Cockett (1994-98), second to Mosley on the career scoring list (2,479-1,866).

"I didn’t realize growing up how big of an impact Judy made on this program," Cockett said. "It wasn’t until I was playing for Vince that he made sure we knew, not just about the great player but the great person she was.

"No one will touch her records. She led the team for four years in scoring and rebounding, and that is special. It’s too bad this (jersey retirement) had to come after she passed. It would have been nice for her to be here and get the standing ovation."

Mosley’s legacy becomes more visible starting Saturday and "it’s about the pride we have as players in this program," Cockett added. "When you’re a player, you don’t play for the legacy, you play to win. But once you’re finished, you want to be able to say, ‘Hey, I was a part of that.’ The current team sees this, aspires to be like this and they will leave it for the future team."

History is not lost on Wahine senior guard Shawna-Lei Kuehu, No. 13 on the career scoring list (1,088) heading into Saturday’s 5 p.m. Big West game with Cal State Northridge.

"It’s awesome that we get to witness this, to be the team that is here for that first steppingstone, to be part of the program that had this amazing player," said Kuehu, who ranks eighth among the Wahine with 1,000 points and 500 rebounds (571). "For us to be where we are you have to give it to the players who came before, Nani (Cockett), BJ (Itoman), Judy. It’s about legacy."

Alumnae players expected Saturday:

Brittany Aiwohi, Kanisha Bello, Saundra Cariaga, Nani Cockett, Raelene Howard Dominques, Patsy Dung, Da Houl, Shelley Kahuanui Fey, Keiki-Dawn Izumi, Sharon Kamali’i, Noella Kong, Amy Kotani, Lynette Liu, Lisa Mann, Lucy Mau, Kate McMeeken-Ruscoe, Shannon Nishi-Patton, Barbara Perry, Serenda Valdez and Fran Villarmia-Kahawai.

Also in attendance will be Cindy Boerner Mazda, UH women’s athletic director from 1983 to 1988.