The University of Hawai‘i women’s basketball team secured three of the Big West’s top honors on Tuesday, with senior guard Lily Wahinekapu earning Big West Player of the Year, freshman center Ritorya Tamilo named Freshman of the Year, and head coach Laura Beeman recognized as Coach of the Year.
Beeman, now in her 13th season at Hawai‘i, earned Coach of the Year honors for the fourth time—and the third time in the last four years—after leading UH to a 22-8 record and a 16-4 mark in conference play. The Rainbow Wahine overcame an 0-2 start in Big West competition before rattling off 14 straight victories, the program’s longest winning streak since 2015. They capped off the regular season by securing the conference title outright on Senior Night.
UH enters the Big West Championship as the No. 1 seed and will have a double bye into the semifinal round on Friday, March 14, at Lee’s Family Forum in Henderson, Nevada. Tipoff is set for 9 a.m. HST on ESPN+.
When asked about winning Big West Coach of the Year for the fourth time, Beeman responded with humility and humor.
“I mean, it means I’m old,” she said with a chuckle. “It’s incredibly special. You know, when you get into coaching, you don’t think about the awards, you don’t think about the recognition—you just want to be a good coach. I’ve always wanted to win on the court, so to have your colleagues recognize you is unbelievable. I’m incredibly humbled by this.
“I want to be the coach that kids want to play for. So yeah, sitting here today, when you said four [Coach of the Year awards], I was like, ‘Oh.’ It kind of hit me by surprise. So it’s really special.”
A video from Beeman’s introductory press conference in 2012 was played during an interview with KHON2 Sports, featuring her telling Hawai‘i fans:
“I think that we have a bright future ahead of us, and Hawai‘i offers just a wonderful situation.”
Reflecting on those words, Beeman confirmed that the program’s success has matched her vision.
“Absolutely,” she said. “Leaving California, leaving my family, I had no idea the support I would get from the community or that I would have my hanai family here. But I knew we’d be successful—I wouldn’t have taken the job otherwise. That was the commitment I had to make from day one.
“To me, these kids are not transactional, they’re transformative. I knew that if we could get that message across, recruit some great kids, and put a wonderful product on the court, we’d be able to build something special. And we’ve done that.”
While UH celebrates its regular-season title and conference honors, the focus now turns to the Big West Tournament. Beeman, who has experienced both triumph and heartbreak in this tournament, emphasized the importance of staying composed.
“I think we have to play loose,” she said. “We have to be able to make adjustments. Some of these kids have been on both sides of that ball, and I know which one they prefer.
“As a coach, I know when we step into the game on Friday, we’re going to be prepared—it’s just a matter of putting the product on the court. And with this group, I believe we can. Their energy is really good. They’re confident right now. They want to win for the state, they want to win for themselves, and they want to win for the right reasons. Now, we just have to get out there and play.”
The Rainbow Wahine will face a to-be-determined opponent in the Big West Tournament semifinal on Friday at Lee’s Family Forum in Henderson, Nevada.
KHON2 Sports will provide coverage throughout the week. Stay tuned on-air and online for updates on Hawai‘i’s march to the championship.