LAS VEGAS – Three Hawai'i women's soccer players have been selected to the Mountain West Preseason Player Watch List Wednesday ahead of the Rainbow Wahine's first year in the conference. Senior forward
Anuhea Aluli, senior midfielder
Izzy Ayala, and junior goalkeeper
Kennedy Justin were each recognized on the league's preseason list.
UH also checked in at No. 6 in the preseason coaches' poll.
The selections underscore a talented roster that boasts both extensive collegiate experience and local championship pedigree. Justin, a former first-team all-region selection, has already established herself as one of the region's elite goalkeepers after a historic freshman campaign and a sophomore year in which she was named to the prestigious Hermann Trophy Watch List.
Ayala, the heart of the Hawai'i midfield, enters her senior year after playing nearly every minute of the 2025 season. Aluli, an O'ahu native, joins the Rainbow Wahine rotation as a senior transfer from Oakland, bringing a wealth of Division I experience and a pedigree as a goal-scoring threat.
The Rainbow Wahine open the 2026 regular season vs. Texas Tech on Aug. 13 as part of the OUTRIGGER Soccer Kickoff.
Anuhea Aluli | Forward | Senior | Hau'ula, O''ahu
- Transferred to Hawai'i after spending four years at Oakland, where she appeared in 42 matches with 19 starts over three active seasons, tallying three goals and three assists.
- Appeared in 17 matches (eight starts) in her final season at Oakland in 2025, recording a goal against Detroit Mercy and an assist against Robert Morris.
- A Hau'ula, O'ahu native and 2022 graduate of Kamehameha Schools-Kapalama, she led her high school team to three straight state championships and was named the 2022 Hawaii Gatorade Player of the Year.
- Named the 2022 Division I All-Tournament Most Outstanding Player and the Offensive Player of the Year by both ScoringLive and the ILH after leading the Warriors with seven goals.
Izzy Ayala | Midfielder | Senior | Henderson, Nev.
- Started all 20 matches for UH in 2025, serving as the only player on the team to start every single match while playing 1,733 of 1,800 possible minutes.
- Ended the 2025 season by playing 1,182 consecutive minutes without leaving the field, starting from the team's September 4 match onward.
- Recorded a single-season career-high seven points in 2025, scoring two goals and delivering three assists.
- Earned a spot on the Big West All-Freshman Team in 2023, becoming the 11th UH player in program history to secure the honor.
- Honored with the Hawai'i Athletic Department's Jennifer Matsuda Award in 2024—the department's highest academic honor—and is a multi-time Academic All-District and Academic All-Big West selection.
Kennedy Justin | Goalkeeper | Junior | Long Beach, Calif.
- Began her sophomore campaign in 2025 as one of only three goalkeepers nationwide named to the prestigious Hermann Trophy Watch List.
- Named the 2024 Big West Goalkeeper of the Year, becoming the first-ever freshman in the 22-season history of the award to win the honor.
- Set a program record in 2024 with five consecutive shutouts, keeping opponents off the scoreboard for 496 straight minutes.
- Became the ninth goalkeeper in Rainbow Wahine history to surpass the 100-career save milestone during her sophomore season in 2025, finishing the year with 39 saves and a .736 save percentage.
- Matched the school single-season record for goalkeeper wins with an 11-8-1 record, earning United Soccer Coaches First-Team All-West Region and First-Team All-Big West honors.
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