Wahine on the rise

For the first time in a while, the Hawaii Rainbow Wahine are on the way up — and figure to keep rising. An infusion of winning culture brought to bear by new coach Laura Beeman in 2012-13 revived a dormant hoops program and brought it back to the postseason for the first time in a decade.

UH lost 61-49 to San Diego in the first round of the Women’s National Invitation Tournament on Thursday to conclude a successful season at 17-14 overall. The program hadn’t enjoyed a winning season since 2006, and last went to the WNIT in 2003 — a span of four head coaches.

"I think just going to postseason play for the first time in 10 years, and it being a tournament like the NIT, I think that’s something that the young ladies and the staff should be pretty proud of," Beeman said.

The Wahine also made a splash in their return to the Big West — their home from 1984 to 1996 — with a 13-5 record and a tie for second place. They were picked to finish sixth of 10 teams in the preseason.

UH, the third seed in the Big West conference tournament, was upset by No. 8 Cal State Fullerton. The WNIT picked UH as an at-large selection.

The Wahine return a strong core next season, but there are holes to fill.

Junior forward Kamilah Martin (15.1 ppg, 9.8 rpg) was the team’s workhorse and shot up the team record books en route to All-Big West first-team honors.

Martin became the program’s 17th 1,000-point scorer (1,197) and stands at eighth on the all-time list. She now trails only Judy Mosley in rebounds at 953. One more solid season makes her one of the program’s all-time greats.

The Big West also honored juniors Sydney Haydel and Shawna Kuehu with specialty awards. Haydel was the BWC defensive player of the year. Kuehu captured sixth-man honors.

Ashleigh Karaitiana was named to the BWC all-freshman team. Those four players should form the core of next year’s group.

UH might have had two more seniors, but juniors Vicky Tagalicod and Kanisha Bello decided this season would be their last, as they are set to graduate. Also departed are one-year players Monica DeAngelis and Stephanie Ricketts.

Players spoke all season of a positive shift of work ethic in practices, and that doesn’t figure to change in the offseason under Beeman.

"With that confidence in what we have coming back, there has to be a change in their mentality to work in the offseason," Beeman said. "To be willing to make some conscious change in behavior on the court and in the offseason to improve their game, if we want to have better success next year than we had this year."

Beeman signed three players from Mt. San Antonio College in the fall for 2013-14 — forwards Ashley Burchfield and Shawlina Segovia and guard Morgan Mason.

Point guard is a position of need, and perimeter shooting was also a weakness — UH shot 27.9 percent from deep. Beeman will have two, and possibly three, scholarships to work with in the upcoming spring signing period.

"We need athleticism," Beeman said. "We need a viable point guard or two, one to come in with Marissa (Wimbley) and then we need athleticism on the perimeter to compete against some of the more athletic guards in the Big West. If we find a shooter, that’s fantastic. If not, we’ll be able to find shots, whether it be in transition or the ability to pound the ball inside, and then a good offense to complement the talent that we have."

The Wahine held their own through a preseason gauntlet that included games against top-ranked Baylor and its star Brittney Griner, and another 2012 final four team, Stanford.

Beeman resolved that the Wahine will play a more balanced schedule next season, and said they would take two nonconference mainland road trips.

"I know the expectations have risen, but that’s why I came here," Beeman said.