HONOLULU — University of Hawai'i women's basketball head coach Khalilah Mitchell announced the additions of two assistant coaches to the Rainbow Wahine program for the 2026-27 season.
 
Chris Straker and Mi'Cole Cayton have been hired to join Mitchell and returning assistant coach Derrick Florence on the UH coaching staff. The new hires bring a combined wealth of playing and coaching experience at the Division I and international levels and reflect the vision and direction of the program's new era.
 
Straker spent the 2025-26 season at Kennesaw State and brings nearly two decades of coaching experience at the NCAA Division I and international levels, including stints at San Diego State, San Jose State, Georgia Southern and San Francisco. Originally from Manchester, England, Straker coached alongside Mitchell in the 2022-23 season when both were assistant coaches at San Jose State. Straker has a proven record of developing guards at the highest level, working with two future WNBA players during his tenure at San Diego State (2012-17). He also coached in the United Kingdom at Leeds Beckett University (2010-11), where he led the team to the British Universities National Championship, and served as an associate coach with the Great Britain U20 and England U18 national teams.
 
Straker's familiarity with the Mountain West Conference and his extensive experience in recruiting, guard development, offensive strategy, and scheduling made him a natural fit for the Rainbow Wāhine program.
 
"Chris and I have worked together before, and that experience gave me a level of confidence in him that you simply cannot get from an interview alone," Mitchell said. "His temperament, his work ethic, his organizational skills, and his genuine ability to connect with players are exactly what this program needs. He is the right person for this staff at this moment."
 
Cayton served as assistant coach/recruiting coordinator at Texas Southern last season and began her coaching career at Louisiana State University Shreveport. While at LSUS, she was a recipient of the Women's Basketball Coaches Association Thirty Under 30 award in 2025. The award recognizes up-and-coming coaches for excellence in mentorship, leadership, and community impact. As a student-athlete, Cayton had an eight-year collegiate career while enduring seven surgeries. Academically, she earned a law degree from the University of California and master's degrees from Nebraska (environmental science), Minnesota (education) and Pepperdine (higher education).
 
Beyond her coaching responsibilities, Cayton will serve as the program's lead NIL strategist for the mainland United States market — a key role in the program's newly established three-arm NIL system designed to create real earning opportunities for student-athletes across all markets.
 
"Mi'Cole's energy is undeniable — the kind that elevates a staff and a locker room simply by being present," Mitchell said. "As a Power Four athlete, she has lived the experience our players are living right now, and that makes her an immediate and credible voice in the room. She is proactive, knowledgeable about NIL, and deeply committed to the development of young women. She does not wait to be asked — she identifies what needs to be done and moves. That quality is exactly what this program is built on."
 
Florence returns for his sixth season on the UH coaching staff. Under his direction, UH ranked among the top defensive teams in the nation the last two seasons. The 'Bows finished the 2025-26 season fifth in NCAA Division I in field-goal percentage defense, 22^nd in scoring defense and fourth in blocks per game. In 2024-25, UH ranked third in field-goal percentage defense and seventh in scoring defense.
 
"We are absolutely thrilled to have Coach Flo returning for his sixth season," Mitchell said. "Under his guidance, we have established one of the elite defensive identities in the entire country. His ability to develop our players into a relentless unit that ranks in the top five nationally on defense is nothing short of incredible. Derrick is a vital cornerstone of Rainbow Wahine basketball."