HONOLULU—University of Hawai'i softball team head coach Bob Coolen announced the signing of five players to National Letters of Intent. Mya'Liah Bethea, Haley Johnson, Mackenzie La Neve, Piper Neri, and Kayla Stone have all signed on to be the newest Rainbow Wahine in 2021.
 
Mya'Liah Bethea is a 5-4 left-handed catcher who bats right out of Las Vegas, Nev. At Cimarron-Memorial High School, Bethea has been used as a utility player, playing at catcher, shortstop and pitcher. On offense, she has a career .586 batting average. As a Spartan, she has earned a pair of Most Valuable Player Awards, two Athlete of the Month honors and the Scholar-Athlete Award. Bethea has also played four years on the flag football team while earning two varsity letters in volleyball.
 
"Mya'Liah has lots of power and possesses one of the strongest catcher's arms I've seen in awhile." says Coolen. "She also plays a good first base, so she will be used at both positions. Mya'Liah knows the game well, plays aggressively, and calls a good game behind the plate."

Haley Johnson is 5-5 and also a left-handed catcher who is out of El Cajon, Calif.  The soon to be Granite Hills High School alumna currently plays for the SoCal Breakers Labs - Bobby. Prior to this, she played for the SD Renegades - Pearlstein where she had a .475 batting average and hit 10 home runs this past summer. She can also play leftfield and first base.

"Hayley is a true lefty who will play at catcher and at first base. She is a strong contact hitter who can also hit for power. Both she and Bethea both have good speed and good arms," states Coolen.
 
Mackenzie La Neve is 5-7 and a solid utility player who plays at catcher and centerfield. La Neve is from Henderson, Nev. and comes out of Liberty High School. In high school, she has played primarily at shortstop for three years on the varsity team. She has a .506 batting average with a .900 fielding percentage. She has earned Most Improved Player honors in 2018 and in 2019 was named to the all-league first team, Co-Offense Player of the Year and was on the all-state second team.
 
"Mackenzie is a great utility player," says Coolen. "She is a versatile player on the field who has a real strong arm and can hit for contact and power. Mackenzie has good speed and tracks the ball very well in the outfield."
 
Piper Neri is a 5-2 outfielder who bats and throws left out of Mira Costa High School in Manhattan Beach, Calif. She has earned three varsity letters on the softball team and had a .467 batting average with 16 stolen bases. In 2018-'19, Neri was named all-league first team. In 2019, she earned all-area first team, all-CIF Southern Section, and All-State second team honors.
 
"Piper is a lefty outfielder who has a solid arm," says Coolen. "She has a high softball IQ who is a good contact hitter. Piper is on one of the top five programs in the country."
 
Kayla "KK" Stone is a 5-5 middle infielder who bats and throws right. The soon to be graduate of Salinas High School is from Gilroy, Calif. She had a .457 batting average and a 1.000 fielding percentage. She has twice been named her team's the Most Valuable Player and Offensive Player of the Year. She earned all-league first team honors twice and was named all-county and all-league MVP.
 
"KK is a middle infielder and is projected to play at second," says Coolen. "She has speed and a great softball IQ and currently plays on a top Club program in the country out of Salinas, CA."
 
Also joining the Rainbow Wahine in 2021 will be Chloee Agueda out of French Camp, Calif. She is a 5-5 outfielder/third baseman out of East Union High School.
 
Softball Signees
Mya'Liah  Bethea – L/R | 5-4 | Catcher/First Base | Las Vegas, Nev. | Cimarron-Memorial HS
Hayley Johnson – L/L | 5-6 | Catcher/First Base | El Cajon, Calif. | Granite Hills HS
Mackenzie La Neve – R/R | Utility | Henderson, Nev. | Liberty HS
Piper Neri – L/L | Outfield | Manhattan Beach, Calif. | Mira Costa HS
Kayla Stone – R/R | 5-5 | Second Base/Shortstop | Gilroy, Calif. | Salinas HS
Chloee Agueda – R/R |Outfield/Third Base | East Union HS | French Camp, Calif.