Stephanie Ricketts is bringing her swagger indoors.
The winningest pitcher in UH softball history is now the first softball-basketball crossover athlete in school history. Ricketts, an All-America pick in the circle last season and a former two-sport standout in high school, will play center for coach Laura Beeman and the UH women’s basketball team for the upcoming 2012-13 season.
Ricketts is a graduate student in UH’s nursing program. She finished her softball career in the spring but grad students may play an additional year in another sport.
Beeman described the 6-foot Ricketts as bringing "a little swag" to the team after watching her compete as a practice player twice since last Friday. Then it was a matter of persuading her to boost the Rainbow Wahine frontcourt — which will be without its only experienced returnee, Kalei Adolpho, until UH volleyball season ends.
"No one ever said I had swag (before)," Ricketts said. "I guess I’m used to it. I’m used to winning, and I’m also used to being in a position where I had a lot of control whether we won or not. But I’ve been on teams where I wasn’t the central player, and we still won. So I think it’s just drawing on that and going out there and not expecting anything less."
Beeman admired the way Ricketts would sprint down the court from offense to defense and back, and her propensity for contact down low.
"She’s not afraid of putting her elbow into somebody or using her size to get position," Beeman said. "Immediately I said, ‘Wow, this young lady is somebody we can definitely work with.’"
Ricketts said "it’s been awhile," since she last played competitive hoops. She was a two-time state champ with Archbishop Mitty High in San Jose, Calif., in 2007 and ’08.
But there’s at least a little prior familiarity for the center. She played against the team’s top returnee, Kamilah (Jackson) Martin, and Sacred Heart Cathedral Prep while at Archbishop Mitty.
Ricketts said her teammates — her fellow centers are Pua Kailiawa and Brianna Higgins — have been welcoming. There’s not a whole lot of time left to get used to each other; UH plays its first exhibition vs. Hawaii-Hilo on Friday at home.
Ricketts is the UH softball record-holder in wins (102), shutouts (33), complete games (116), innings pitched (9381⁄3) and strikeouts (818).
Wahine picked sixth in preseason poll
The Rainbow Wahine were picked to finish sixth in the Big West Conference preseason media poll announced Wednesday. Cal State Northridge was tabbed to win the league.
Martin was one of six players named to the league’s preseason all-conference team after averaging 13.2 points and 10.6 rebounds last season.
"I am not shocked by our preseason position nor does it bother me," Beeman said. "This is a long season and I am confident that we’ll be in the race at the end. I am excited about Kamilah being recognized. She has worked incredibly hard this off season and deserves to be noticed."
