HONOLULU — The University of Hawai'i women's basketball team's preparations for the 2024-25 season hit high gear on Thursday with the official start of its full slate of practices leading up to opening night in early November.
 
The Rainbow Wahine reported to Gym 2 with 11 returnees, including 10 letterwinners, off a team that went 20-11 last season and captured the Big West regular-season championship.
 
"I think the expectations are high, that's where we want them to be," said head coach Laura Beeman, who enters her 13th season leading the program as the reigning Big West Coach of the Year. "I think it's going to be a really fun brand of basketball, I think the crowd is going to fall in love with the way these girls play and how hard they work and how skilled they are."
 
The roster is topped by an eight-player senior class, including three guards — Kelsie Imai, Daejah Phillips and MeiLani McBee — who return for their fifth years in the program.
 
The 'Bows also return three players who earned All-Big West honors last season. Phillips was an all-conference first-team selection and picked up her second Best Sixth Player award in March. Guard Lily Wahinekapu and forward Imani Perez made the second team and Perez was also named to the All-Defensive team.
 
The 'Bows welcome five newcomers to the roster, four freshmen and a senior transfer. Three of the freshmen — Danijela Kujovic, Rebecca Moors and Ritorya Tamilo — were immersed into the program's culture early in the summer when they joined the 'Bows' for their summer trip to Japan. Moors and Tamilo also gained more international experience playing for New Zealand's national program over the break. Mia 'Uhila, who started all 31 games at Portland State last season, and Kira-May Filemu joined the signing class later in the summer.
 
The Rainbow Wahine went 17-3 in conference play last season — highlighted by a 10-0 run at home — last season to claim the program's fifth Big West regular-season title. They closed the season with an appearance in the inaugural Women's Basketball Invitation Tournament.
 
The run-up to the regular season will include a trip to the Big Island for an exhibition game against Hawai'i Hilo on Oct. 27. The Rainbow Wahine officially open the schedule with a trip to the Pacific Northwest to face Portland on Nov. 7 and Portland State on Nov. 9. They'll make their home debut on Nov. 22 against Louisiana Monroe in the Bank of Hawai'i Classic at SimpliFi Arena at Stan Sheriff Center.

Among the highlights on the schedule will be "Beeman's Bigger Bash" on Jan. 25 against UC Irvine, when the Rainbow Wahine will target the program's all-time attendance record.