Now entering her 14th season as head coach of the University of Hawai‘i women’s basketball program, Laura Beeman is coming off a 2024-25 season in which she was named the Big West Coach of the Year for the second straight season and fourth time in her career after leading the Rainbow Wahine to back-to-back Big West regular-season titles.
Since Beeman’s hiring in 2012 as the program’s eighth head coach, the Rainbow Wahine have claimed three Big West Championship titles, four regular-season crowns, and earned nine postseason berths, including three NCAA Tournament appearances.
Beeman led the Rainbow Wahine to postseason appearances in each of her first four seasons at UH, including an NCAA Tournament berth in 2016, the program’s first in 18 years. In 2021-22, the Rainbow Wahine captured the Big West regular-season and tournament titles in the same year for the first time in program history. The following year they became the first team to capture back-to-back Big West Championship titles and UH made consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances for the first time since 1989 and ’90.
Beeman is the second longest tenured head coach in program history, trailing only Vince Goo’s 17 years (1988-2004) and is also second in wins.
Prior to arriving at UH, Beeman served as an assistant coach at USC and with the Los Angeles Sparks of the WNBA and as head coach at Mt. San Antonio College.
| Overall |
Conference |
| Year |
Win |
Loss |
Win |
Loss |
Place |
Postseason |
| 2012-13 |
17 |
14 |
13 |
5 |
T2nd |
WNIT |
| 2013-14 |
17 |
14 |
10 |
6 |
3rd |
WNIT |
| 2014-15 |
23 |
9 |
14 |
2 |
1st |
WNIT |
| 2015-16 |
21 |
11 |
12 |
4 |
T2nd |
NCAA |
| 2016-17 |
12 |
18 |
7 |
9 |
T6th |
None |
| 2017-18 |
12 |
18 |
5 |
11 |
8th |
None |
| 2018-19 |
15 |
17 |
10 |
6 |
2nd |
WNIT |
| 2019-20 |
16 |
14 |
9 |
7 |
T2nd |
None |
| 2020-21 |
9 |
8 |
7 |
6 |
T4th |
None |
| 2021-22 |
20 |
10 |
13 |
3 |
1st |
NCAA |
| 2022-23 |
18 |
15 |
13 |
7 |
3rd |
NCAA |
| 2023-24 |
20 |
11 |
17 |
3 |
1st |
WBIT |
| 2024-25 |
22 |
10 |
16 |
4 |
1st |
WBIT |
| TOTALS |
222 |
169 |
146 |
73 |
|
|
|
.568 |
|
.667 |
|
|
|
CAREER RECORD
• Overall: 612-279 (27 years)
• At Hawai‘i: 222-169 (12 years)
ACCOLADES
• 2024-25 Big West Coach of the Year
• 2023-24 Big West Coach of the Year
• 2021-22 Big West Coach of the Year
• 2014-15 Big West Coach of the Year
• 2007-08 WBCA District 8 Coach of the Year
• 3x South Coast Conference Coach of the Year (2000, 2006, 2007)
• Inducted into the California Community College Hall of Fame in 2019
• Inducted into the Cal State San Bernardino Hall of Fame in 2017
COACHING EXPERIENCE
• Hawai‘I, Head Coach (2012-Present)
• USC, Assistant Coach (2010-2012)
• Los Angeles Sparks, Assistant Coach (2008-2009)
• Mt. San Antonio College, Head Coach (1994-2010)
• Redlands, Assistant Coach (1992-1994)
COACHING HIGHLIGHTS AT UH
• Led Hawai‘i to a second straight Big West regular-season championship in 2025.
• Led Hawai‘i to the inaugural Women's Basketball Invitation Tournament in 2024
• Led Hawai‘i to 2023 NCAA Tournament, program’s first back-to-back appearances in 33 years
• Led Hawai‘i to 2022 NCAA Tournament, program’s first appearance in six years
• Led Hawai‘i to 2016 NCAA Tournament, program’s first appearance in 18 years
• Notched 222 career victories at UH, second most in program history
• Has reached the postseason nine times at Hawai‘i, including three trips to the NCAA Tournament
• Competed in three-straight Women’s National Invitational Tournaments (WNIT) (2013-15) and added a fourth appearance in 2019
• Won the 2016, 2022 and 2023 Big West Championship titles
• Won the 2015, 2022, 2024, and 2025 Big West regular-season titles
• Won both the Big West regular season and tournament titles in the same year (2022) for the first time in school history
• In 2014-15 led UH to a 15-game win-streak (longest since a 19-game streak in 1997-98)
• Has coached 30 All-Big West Selections (First Team-10; Second Team -10; Honorable Mention-10), two Big West “Player of the Year” winners, seven Big West “Sixth Players of the Year.” one Big West “Defensive Player of the Year.” four “All-Defensive Team” players, and eight Big West “All-Freshman Team” Players
PRIOR TO UH
• Won four California Community College State Championships at Mt. San Antonio College (2004, ’06, ’07, ’08)
• Won 10 South Coast Conference Championships
• Participated in the post season in all 15 seasons
• Compiled an overall record of 390-110 (.780)
• Maintained a 96 percent matriculation rate for her student-athletes
OTHER HIGHLIGHTS
• Helped lead USC to its best record in 17 years with 24 wins in 2011-2012 as an assistant coach
• Helped lead USC to the 2011 WNIT Championship game
• Helped USC reel in two nationally ranked recruiting classes (#8 – 2010, #14 – 2011)
• Helped lead the Los Angeles Sparks to the 2008 Western Conference Finals
• Coached seven McDonald’s All-Americans
• Coached five All-PAC-12 Players
• Coached three Kodak All-Americans
• Coached four Olympic Gold Medalists
PLAYING EXPERIENCE
• CS San Bernardino University, 1989-1992 (All-American, holds school record in game, season, and career assists)
EDUCATION
• CS San Bernardino University, B.A., Business (1992)
• University of the Redlands, M.E., Counseling (1994)
• Azusa Pacific, M.E., Physical Education (1996)
HOMETOWN
• San Bernardino, Calif.
