Just making it back onto the court this season is the victory Olivia Davies will remember the most.
The fifth-year junior guard has one year left of eligibility, but will participate in Senior Night festivities on Saturday after the Hawaii women’s basketball team plays its regular-season home finale against UC Riverside.
Davies has overcome multiple devastating knee injuries that have taken away a large chunk of her basketball career.
She’s managed to start at least one game in four different seasons, but quality of life is what will force her to walk away from the sport she loves too soon.
“If my knee was better, I would stay for another year, but it’s more a longevity of life kind of thing,” Davies said Tuesday. “I’m already struggling with it now. It’s hard not being on the court and not being the player you used to be.”
The Alaska native has dealt with knee issues going all the way back to her freshman season in 2019.
She openly talked about mental health issues she faced while recovering from her injury during the COVID-19 pandemic and nearly decided to go back home to Alaska following the 2020-21 season.
Last season was cut short by another ACL injury after playing just six games. Already understanding the grueling rehab it takes to recover from such an injury, Davies nearly called it a career then. She took a day to really think about it before deciding to give it one last try.
She’s started 16 of the 20 games she’s appeared in this season and has been a big part of Hawaii’s ascent to the top of the Big West standings with four games remaining in the regular season.
“I think I was dealt kind of a crappy hand, but I am super proud that I finished it out and I didn’t let an injury or whatever else dictate what I did,” Davies said.
Growing up in Alaska, Davies said it was around the fifth grade when her dad told her he thought she could play at the collegiate level one day.
She admits with a laugh she was head coach Laura Beeman’s worst recruit.
“I was so bad about returning calls and stuff, but once I got out here, I thought this place was awesome and I didn’t want to go anywhere else,” Davies said.
Beeman said it was all true.
“She disappeared for a while. We had no idea where she went,” Beeman said. “Tracking her down was tough. It was like I was going to go on some Alaskan expedition to try to find a kid.”
The coaching staff eventually got her signed and Beeman did make a trip to Davies’ hometown of Wasilla. It was 4 degrees when she landed.
“Ula (Hawaii associate soccer coach Kaula Rowe) actually was there at the time. She picked me up and said you’re not driving in Alaska in this kind of weather in snow and ice,” Beeman said. “Saw Olivia play her senior night after she had signed and it was really fun to watch her in her element.”
Davies and Ashley Thoms will be honored after Saturday’s game that will end an important final homestand.
The Rainbow Wahine (16-9, 13-3 Big West) host two teams they lost to on the road beginning with UC Davis tonight.
The Aggies (15-12, 11-6) and the Highlanders (16-11, 11-6) are currently tied for third in the conference standings, three back of Hawaii in the loss column. Two home wins in the next three days would lock up a double bye into the semifinals of the Big West Tournament in two weeks in Henderson, Nev.
“This is a big homestand for us,” Beeman said. “The injury bug has hit a little bit all season for us and it’s no different now. To have a pretty strong crowd in here rooting these kids on and really showing how much they love them and supporting them — there’s nothing like that as a sixth man.”
Hawaii’s last home game against UC Santa Barbara was attended by more than 4,000 people.
Beeman said they are day-to-day on the status of both Imani Perez, who suffered an injury late in Saturday’s win over Long Beach State, and Brooklyn Rewers, who has missed the last 11 games.
Rainbow Wahine basketball
At SimpliFi Arena at Stan Sheriff Center
Hawaii (16-9, 13-3 Big West) vs. UC Davis (15-12, 11-6)
>> When: 7 tonight
>> TV: Spectrum Sports
>> Radio: 1420-AM / 92.7-FM
