HONOLULU—The University of Hawai'i soccer team and head coach Michele Nagamine accounted for the signings of two student-athletes on Wednesday, center back Penelope Noland and outside back Zoe Park, the first of the 2021-2022 recruiting class.
 
The addition of Noland and Park adds depth to an already young backline, plus size and speed, sticking to the strategy of Nagamine, along with associate head coach Marc Fournier and assistant coach Kaula Rowe to sure up the defensive side of the ball.
 
Noland is a presence at 5'10 and goes by the name "Penny". She will graduate from Baldwin High School in Wailuku, Maui, in 2022. While at Baldwin, she has earned honor roll status in the classroom, putting in work in the classroom and on the pitch. Over the past 12 years, she has played for three different club teams, including Crossfire United ECNL, NW Elite FC ECNL, and Albion SC Hawai'i. She was a part of an ECNL championship squad in both 2019 and 2021. She also holds a tie to UH from a distant family member in Camile Kalama, a soccer alum.
 
Michele Nagamine on Penelope Noland:
"At 5'10", Penelope is going to give us the size and an aerial presence in our backline that we have been lacking. She's been competing against some of the top club teams in the nation in the ECNL as a Discovery Player, so we are thrilled to keep her home. I know that she will make Maui proud!"
 
Park is another ECNL product and hails from Aurora, Colorado. She played 13 years with the Rapid Youths Soccer Club, and during her time, she was named ECNL Player to Watch in the Northwest Region during both the 2018-2019 and 2019-2020 seasons. 
 
Michele Nagamine on Zoe Park: 
"Zoe is a crafty outside back which is perfectly matched for our style of play. She will be instrumental in starting our attack from the back, and her ability to get up and down the flank will impact us immediately."