HONOLULU – Coming off of its first postseason appearance in four years last season, Hawai'i opens its 2024 season by hosting Georgia Southern and Utah State as part of the OUTRIGGER Kickoff.
 
The Rainbow Wahine open up against the Eagles on Thursday at 7 p.m. before closing out the weekend against the Mountain West champion Aggies on Sunday at 2:30 p.m. at the Waipi'o Peninsula Soccer Stadium.
 

OUTRIGGER Kickoff (HAWAI'I, GEORGIA SOUTHERN, PEPPERDINE, UTAH STATE)
Date / Time				Thursday, Aug. 15 Pepperdine vs. Utah State -- 4:30 p.m. Hawai'i vs. Georgia Southern -- 7:00 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 18 Georgia Southern vs. Pepperdine -- 12:00 p.m. Hawai'i vs. Utah State -- 2:30 p.m.
Location				Waipahu, O'ahu — Waipi'o Peninsula Soccer Stadium
Television				None
Radio				None
Live Stats				Here
PDF Notes				Hawai'i | Georgia Southern | Pepperdine | Utah State
Social Media				@HawaiiWSoccer  | #HawaiiWSoccer | @HawaiiWSoccer
Game Promotions				Fans are encouraged to visit the sports marketing table (located near the concession stand) to register to participate in the promotions and win great prizes. The winner of the halftime promotional contest will receive a one-night stay at an OUTRIGGER property. FREE UH Soccer Poster will be available while supplies last. Fans can download a game day roster by scanning a QR Code. OUTRIGGER branded towels will be tossed into the crowd every time UH scores a goal.
Admission				FREE
Gameday Rosters				Gameday Rosters

 
HEAD COACH MICHELE NAGAMINE
At Hawai'i: 74-107-24, 13th season
Collegiate Record: 98-137-25 (16th year)

SERIES VS. GEORGIA SOUTHERN
First Meeting

SERIES VS. UTAH STATE
Overall: Utah State leads, 4-2
Last meeting: Sept. 30, 2011 at Hawai'i (UH won, 2-1)
Streak: W1
 
ON THE PITCH  
DID YOU KNOW?
Junior Amber Gilbert's seven goals last year were the most by a UH player since 2019. She finished tied for third in the Big West in goals and comes into the year with a team-high 11 career goals.
 
ON THE RISE
Hawai'i heads into the 2024 season coming off of back-to-back years in which it has raised its profile within the Big West. The Rainbow Wahine placed seventh in the conference and went 6-6-3 overall in 2022, marking the first time in four years that UH finished .500 or better, before making the Big West postseason tournament last season for the second time in program history. UH's four conference wins a year ago matched the record for the most wins in Big West play by the program and marked the third time in the last five seasons that the 'Bows have won at least four conference matches. The Rainbow Wahine were picked to finish seventh in the conference in preseason coaches' poll.
 
BRING 'EM BACK
The Rainbow Wahine will welcome back the bulk of their production from a season ago in 2024. UH returns nine of its 11 players who started at least 10 matches last season, including four who started all 16 matches. In all, Hawai'i brings back a total of 18 players from the 2023 team while having lost just seven players who saw action last year. The 'Bows also return over 70 percent of their production from last season in most of the main statistical categories.
 
Percent of Returning Production
Goals – 88.9
Shots – 85.0
Points – 84.0
Starts – 81.3
Assists – 71.4
 
AMBERGHINI REVVED UP
A first-team All-Big West selection a year ago, junior AMBER GILBERT will be relied upon to provide an offensive spark in 2024. Named to the preseason All-Big West team, Gilbert is coming off of a 2023 season in which she led the team and finished tied for fourth in the conference with seven goals scored. She became the first UH player since 2019 (Kayla Ryan) to score at least seven goals in a season, highlighted by multi-goal performances against Gonzaga and UC San Diego. 
 
» Leads the team with 11 career goals and 24 career points.
» Has started all 31 matches over the last two seasons after missing the previous two due to injury.
» Scored three career game-winning goals, with one coming last year and two in 2022.
 
FRONT LINE EXPERIENCE
Hawai'i will return the bulk of its key contributors from last year's strong offensive squad. The Rainbow Wahine welcome back five of their top six point scorers and all five players who scored multiple goals in 2023. Team goals leader Amber Gilbert leads the way after finishing third in the Big West with seven goals while last year's assist leader Cate Sheahan returns after dishing out five helpers in 2023. Additionally, the Rainbow Wahine bring back two others who scored double-digit points last season as well as six of the seven players who attempted at least 10 shots in 2023.
 
» Mia Foster finished second on the team with six goals scored and started 15 of the 16 matches.
» Team shot attempts leader Brynn Mitchell returns after scoring four goals and dishing out two assists, finishing with 10 points and 37 shot attempts.
» In total, seven of the nine players who scored a goal last year return while 13 of the 17 UH players who scored a point come back.
 
30 YEARS OF RAINBOW WAHINE SOCCER
The 2024 season will mark the 30th season of University of Hawai'i Soccer. Since the inaugural season of Rainbow Wahine soccer in 1994, the program has grown into a fan-favorite as UH has ranked at or near the top of the conference in attendance throughout the history of the program. The 'Bows have enjoyed continuity at the top throughout the 30-year history of the program, as only two head coaches have been at the helm. Pinsoom Tenzing led the Rainbow Wahine side for the first 17 seasons from 1994-2010 and accumulated 142 wins while leading the team to three WAC regular season titles and the program's lone NCAA Tournament appearance in 2007. Michele Nagamine took over the reigns in 2011 and has led the way ever since, guiding UH into the Big West and growing the popularity of the program. UH has totaled 13 major conference individual awards throughout the history of the program while the only All-American in school history, Natasha Kai, owns the career goals scored record by a wide margin with 72 - double that of the player with the second-most.