The Hawaii women’s basketball team bolstered its ranks considerably with five additions in the early signing period for the 2019-20 class this week.
Four are incoming freshmen: Nae Nae Calhoun, a 5-foot-4 point guard out of JW North (Calif.) High; Olivia Davies, a 5-9 combo guard from Wasilla (Alaska) High; MaKayla Edwards, a 5-10 guard/forward from Salesian College (Calif.) Prep; and Kasey Neubert, a 6-0 forward who graduated from Highlands Ranch (Colo.) High.
A fifth player, 6-2 forward Barbara Rangel, will arrive as a junior out of Moorpark (Calif.) College after averaging 14 points and 12 rebounds as a freshman.
“Once we identified the kids that we really wanted, it was just attacking everybody in their lives and letting them know what a great fit they would be for us and what a great fit we would be for them,” said UH coach Laura Beeman, who credited assistant coach and recruiting coordinator Courtney Locke for compiling the class. “And that’s parents and travel-ball coaches and high school coaches and counselors and whoever. It was a strategy that worked very well because we developed some wonderful relationships with these kids and their parents.”
The Rainbow Wahine (0-4) host Seattle University (0-3) at 2:30 p.m. Sunday in the Bank of Hawaii Classic.
HPU women’s hoops wins first of season
Samantha Lambrigtsen scored 16 points and Amy Baum and Starr Rivera each added 13 as the Hawaii Pacific women’s basketball team beat St. Thomas Aquinas 76-48 in the Oahu Thanksgiving Classic on Friday at St. Francis School.
Lauryn Hippolite contributed 12 points for the Sharks (1-2), who held a 46-31 rebounding advantage.
Emily Preston had 17 points for the Spartans (3-1).
Pair sign with UH women’s golf team
University of Hawaii women’s golf coach Stephen Bidne announced Friday the signing of Rachel Fujitani, a transfer from Iowa, and Kralyn Salazar of Glendora High in California.
Fujitani, who recently moved with her family to Hawaii, is enrolled at UH and is eligible to compete this spring. The Phoenix native competed in six tournaments for the Hawkeyes during the spring season.
Salazar, a four-time all-league golfer for Glendora, will join the Rainbow Wahine for the 2019-20 campaign.
