University of Hawaii at Manoa Women's Basketball

Khalilah Mitchell enters her first year as head coach of the University of Hawai‘i women’s basketball program after spending seven seasons on the Rainbow Wahine coaching staff.   University of Hawai‘i Athletics Director Matt Elliott announced Mitchell’s appointment as the program’s ninth head coach on April 21.   Mitchell, an integral figure in UH’s ascent to Big West prominence over seven seasons as an assistant coach, succeeds Laura Beeman, who announced her retirement on March 30 to cap a 14-year tenure as head coach.    “After an extensive search that drew interest from across the country, it became clear that the best leader for our program was already right here in Manoa,” Elliott said. “Khalilah Mitchell embodies everything we look for in a head coach: integrity, a relentless work ethic, and a deep-seated passion for the student-athletes. She has played an instrumental role in our championship culture, and demonstrated that she is ready to be our head coach. I am confident she is the right person to lead the Rainbow Wahine into this next chapter.”   Mitchell first joined the UH coaching staff in 2018 and helped guide the Rainbow Wahine to four postseason appearances and three Big West regular-season championships. The ’Bows went 124-81 during her tenure as an assistant and posted at least 20 wins in each of her last four seasons with the program.   Mitchell played a key role in the development of some of the most prominent and prolific players in program history. Among them were Big West Player of the Year honorees Amy Atwell and Lily Wahinekapu, UH’s three-point career leader MeiLani McBee and three-time all-conference players Daejah Phillips and Imani Perez.   Mitchell’s elevation to head coach comes on the heels of her selection to the prestigious 2026 WBCA Next Generation Institute, a program designed for elite assistant coaches identified as the future leaders of the sport.   “I am incredibly honored and humbled to be named the head coach of the University of Hawai‘i women’s basketball program,” Mitchell said. “I want to thank Matt Elliott for his trust in me. Hawai‘i has become my home, and these student-athletes are my family. Coach Beeman set a standard of excellence here that is unmatched, and I am eager to build upon that foundation. Our goal remains the same, to compete for championships and represent this state and this university with pride.”   A graduate of LSU, Mitchell was a part of five Final Four teams with the Tigers from 2004 to ’08, including a redshirt year due to injury. She began her coaching career in 2009 as a graduate assistant at Central Florida and was elevated to assistant coach in 2011. She arrived at UH in 2018 and helped the ’Bows place second in the Big West and earn a WNIT bid in her first season with the program. She helped UH capture both the conference regular-season and tournament titles for the first time in program history in the 2021-22 season, then spent the 2022-23 as an assistant at San Jose State. She returned to Manoa the following season and helped guide the team to two more regular-season titles and back-to-back berths in the Women’s Basketball Invitation Tournament.    “Khalilah has a deep love for that community and understands their great traditions,” LSU associate head coach Bob Starkey said. “More importantly, she is an excellent coach and teacher that genuinely cares about her student-athletes. I have known Khalilah for over 20 years including coaching her at LSU. She has a contagious enthusiasm and a desire to lead which will guide the Rainbow Wahine to levels of excellence on and off the court.”   Mitchell takes the reins of the Rainbow Wahine program after Beeman went 244-180 over her 14 seasons as head coach. Beeman led the ’Bows to nine postseason appearances, four Big West regular-season titles and three conference tournament championships   “There is no one more prepared for this moment than Khalilah Mitchell,” Beeman said. “She has been an intricate part to the successes of our program and her basketball IQ is only surpassed by her ability to connect with young women. I am stepping away knowing the program is in the best possible hands. I can’t wait to sit in the stands of the Stan Sheriff Center and cheer on Coach Mitchell and this team.”   COACHING EXPERIENCE Hawai‘i, Assistant Coach (2018-22, '23-26) San Jose State, Assistant Coach (2022-23) UCF, Assistant Coach (2011-2014) UCF, Graduate Assistant (2009-2011)   CAREER HIGHLIGHTS The Rainbow Wahine have advanced to the semifinals or championship game of the Big West Championship every season during her tenure as an assistant coach. Helped UH to the Big West regular-season and tournament titles in 2022-23, marking the first time the program won both titles in the same season. In her five-year tenure at UCF, the Knights notched two Conference USA championships. Played college basketball at LSU from 2004-2008. During her five years on campus in Baton Rouge, La., (one season lost due to injury) Mitchell was a part of five consecutive NCAA Final Four teams and three Southeastern Conference championships.   HOMETOWN New Orleans, LA.   EDUCATION LSU, B.A., General Studies (2008) University of Central Florida, M.A., Sports and Exercise Science (2011)

Danny Alvarez was selected as the head coach of the University of Hawai'i beach volleyball program by athletics director Matt Elliott on July, 7, 2025. Alvarez is the fifth head coach in the program's history and returns to Manoa after previously serving as a UH assistant coach for nearly a decade. "We are thrilled to welcome Coach Danny back to the UH 'ohana," Elliott said. "He helped build UH beach volleyball from the very start and played a pivotal role in creating a program that competed at the highest level. His love for the sport, his alma mater, and for our student-athletes is unquestioned and I know he'll give his absolute best effort as our new head coach." "I'm truly honored to be back at the University of Hawai'i," Alvarez said.  "This is a special opportunity and we're fully committed to making the student-athlete experience the best in the country. Our aspiration is to build a national championship-caliber program. There's exciting work ahead and we're ready for the challenge."  Alvarez, who boasts three decades of coaching experience, previously served as an assistant for the BeachBows from 2012-19, as well as during the 2023 campaign. In his first stint at UH, Alvarez was instrumental in building the foundation for the fledgling Rainbow Wahine program and quickly developing the 'Bows into a national contender. The Honolulu native served as the sole assistant coach in the inaugural 2012 season. He helped numerous indoor players make the transition to sand, while further developing the experienced sand players.  What soon followed was six straight national tournament appearances, three Big West titles, and the program's first No. 1 ranking during the 2015 season. Following that season he was named Coach of the Year at UH's annual "H" Awards event.   The success continued in his second stint as an assistant in 2023 when the team returned to the NCAAs for the sixth time and finished in the top 10 of the final AVCA poll. Widely-regarded for his focus on player development, he helped the pair of Kaylee Glagau and Brooke Van Sickle earn AVCA All-America and Big West Player of the Year honors that season. In all, he has coached 11 AVCA All-Americans and 24 all-conference players during his time at UH.  Beyond his experience at UH, Alvarez has earned a stellar reputation as a life-long and deeply- embedded member of  the island volleyball community. He has mentored countless student-athletes on the high school and club level in both the indoor and beach game. He has also provided elite training for more than a half dozen professional players, including former UH standout and AVP champion Carly Kan.  On the men's side, he has coached AVP champion and Honolulu native Trevor Crabb since 2019 and guided Crabb and partner Theo Brunner's during their run to qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympics.     

Beeman has compiled a 78-48 overall record and a 49-17 mark in the Big West Conference.   After leading Hawaii to three consecutive WNIT appearances in her first three seasons on the job, Beeman guided UH to the Big Dance in 2016 by way of a Big West Tournament championship. The Rainbow Wahine earned the No. 2 seed in the Big West Tournament and knocked off both Long Beach State (semifinals) and UC Davis (championship game) by double-figures to take home the programs first conference tournament championship in two decades. Hawaii earned a No. 14 seed in the 2016 NCAA Tournament and fell to No. 3 seed and No. 10 ranked UCLA.   To date, while at UH, Beeman has coached 11 All-Big West Selections (First Team-3; Second Team -5; Honorable Mention-3); four Big West Sixth Player of the Year awardees; one BWC Defensive Player of the Year; and two BWC All-Freshman Team players. In 2015-16, senior Destiny King earned first-team all-Big West honors, sophomore Megan Huff took home second-team All-Big West and Big West Sixth Player of the Year honors, and senior Ashleigh Karaitiana also earned second-team All-Big West honors. Beemanthe 2015 Big West Coach of the Yearguided the Bows to a Big West-best 14-2 conference record and 23-9 overall mark in 2014-15. The Bows opened the conference season with a pair of road losses, but went on to reel off 15-straight wins en route to capturing the regular season crown and a spot in their third consecutive WNIT tourney. The win streak was UHs longest since 1997-98 when Hawaii won 19-straight under former head coach Vince Goo. Overall, UHs 2014-15 overall record was the best since the Bows recorded a 23-8 overall record in 2001-02. Beeman and her crew also posted UHs best conference record since 1997-98 when the Rainbow Wahine went 13-1 in the Western Athletic Conference. Beemans consistent trademark has been defense and rebounding. The 2015-16 season marked the second straight that UH led the Big West in the majority of the defense and rebounding statistics, including field-goal percentage defense, 3-point field-goal percentage defense, rebounding, rebounding margin, offensive rebounds, and defensive rebounds.   One of the passions of Coach Beeman, her staff and her players has been getting involved in multiple service opportunities to give back to the local communities. The coaches and players have conducted free basketball clinics to youth on the North Shore and have spent hours helping at Waikiki Healths Youth Outreach (YO!) program working with local at-risk and homeless youths. The team also sponsored a YO! Sneaker Drive at one of their games last season. The Rainbow Wahine have participated in the American Cancer Societys Relay for Life, Special Olympics, and have participated in several elementary school reading programs.   In her first season (2012-13), Beeman deftly guided her team through a difficult pre-season slatewhich included the likes of Baylor, Stanford, Arkansas, and Oklahoma. The wicked schedule prepared the Bows in their return to the Big West Conference after 16 years in the Western Athletic Conference. Hawaii posted a 17-14 overall recordthe first winning season in seven years. The Bows battled hard in the BWC and finished in a tie for second in the conference with a 13-5 mark. UH closed the season strongwinning six of its last seven regular season games. Hawaii went 8-1 in conference home games and tallied its best conference record since 2001-02. The Rainbow Wahine were able to defeat all of their conference opponents at least once with series sweeps over UC Riverside, Long Beach State, UC Davis, and CSU Northridge. The Bows advanced to the post-season for the first time in 10 years and for the 12th time in school history. Hawaii players garnered six Big West honors, led by junior post-player Kamilah Jackson who became the first Rainbow Wahine to earn first team conference honors since 1995-96. Junior guard/forward Shawna-Lei Kuehu was voted Sixth Player of the Year and was an Honorable Mention conference player. Junior guard Sydney Haydel earned Defensive Player of the Year and rookie guard Ashleigh Karaitiana was named to the All-Freshman team as well as honorable mention honors.   In her second season (2013-14), Beeman and her Bows posted a 17-14 overall record with a 10-6 conference record good for third place and another post-season appearance. The Rainbow Wahine once again had to navigate a challenging non-conference schedule, notching wins over Washington State, Ole Miss, Chattanooga and Minnesota. Jackson became just the second player in Rainbow Wahine history to lead the team in points and rebounds all four seasons of her careereven while missing seven games down the stretch of the Big West season. But in her absence, Hawaii banded together to continue to out-rebound their opponents 276-to-219 while Jackson was outincluding a 19-rebound advantage in their win over UC Davis. UH finished first in the Big West in scoring defense, allowing just 62.8 points per game; first in 3-point field goal defense (.288); rebounding defense (35.1); rebounding margin overall (+6.0) and defensive rebounding percentage (.725).   Beeman was formally introduced as the new head womens basketball coach at Hawaii at a press conference on March 23, 2012 at Les Murakami Stadium. She came to UH with nearly 20 years of coaching experience on the both the collegiate and professional level. The San Bernardino, Calif., native established herself as one of the best junior college coaches in the nation before enjoying similar success as an assistant coach at USC and with the WNBAs Los Angeles Sparks. Beeman, 45, is the eighth head coach since the programs inception in 1974 and the third female head coach in its history.   Beeman spent her final two seasons prior to Hawaii at USC as associate head coach under Michael Cooper where they re-established the Women of Troy as a PAC-12 power. There she helped quickly revitalize the program with 42 combined wins in the last two years. In her first season, the team finished 24-13 and advanced to the WNIT Championship game. The team ultimately finished with the programs best record in 17 years.   The Women of Troy garnered an 18-win season and third-place finish in the Pac-12 in 2011-12, Beemans final campaign at USC, including a six-game win streak to finish the regular season. In just two years, Beeman coached nearly a half dozen all-conference players, while also helping put together back-to-back nationally ranked recruiting classes.   Beeman and Cooper had previously worked together for the WNBAs Los Angeles Sparks in 2008. As an assistant under Cooper that season, she helped lead the Sparks to the Western Conference Finals after a one-year absence from the post-season. While with the Sparks, Beeman coached the No. 1 pick Candace Parker along with veteran All-Stars Lisa Leslie and DeLisha Milton-Jones.   Prior to her stint with the Trojans, Beeman made her mark at the junior college level where she enjoyed a phenomenally successful 15-year run as the head coach at Mt. San Antonio College (Mt. SAC). There she led the Mounties to 10 conference championships and four California Community College State Championshipsincluding a string of three straight from 2006-08. Beeman was selected conference Coach of the Year four times and was voted the district and regional coach of the year in 2001. She led Mt. SAC to a school-best 37-1 record in both the 2007 and 2008 season. During her tenure with the Mounties, she produced 80 all-conference selections, 24 all-state selections, and 10 all-region selections. Beeman posted a 390-110 (.780) record during her tenure at Mt. SAC.   As a player, Beeman was an All-American guard at Cal State San Bernardino where she set the career, season and game assist records. She graduated in 1992 with a degree in business administration from CS San Bernardino and later earned a masters degree in education with an emphasis on counseling from the University of Redlands. She earned a second masters degree in education with an emphasis in physical education from Azuza Pacific University.   : San Bernardino, Calif.   Cal State San Bernardino, 1992, Bachelor of Arts in business marketing University of Redlands, 1994, Masters of Education, counseling Azusa Pacific, 1996, Masters of Education, physical education   Cal State San Bernardino, 1989-92, point guard   2012-present  Hawaii, Head Coach 2010-12   USC, Assistant Coach 2008-09   Los Angeles Sparks, Assistant Coach 1994-2010 Mt. San Antonio College, Head Coach 1992-94   University of Redlands, Assistant Coach   As Hawaii head coach       -Led Hawaii to 2016 NCAA Tournament, programs first appearance in 20 years       -Has reached the postseason in each of her first four years       -Has competed in three-straight Womens National Invitational Tournaments (WNIT)       -Won the 2015 Big West regular season title       -Voted Big West Coach of the Year (2015)       -In 2014-15 led UH to a 15-game win-streak (longest since 19 recorded in 1997-98)       -Has an overall record of 71-48 and a 49-17 Big West record (entering the 2016-17 season)   As a head coach at Mt. SAC         - Won four California Community College State Championships (2004, 06, 07, 08)         - Won 10 South Coast Conference Championships         - Participated in the post season in all 15 seasons         - Compiled an overall record of 390-110 (.780)         - Maintained a 96 percent matriculation rate for her student athletes   As an assistant coach         - Helped lead USC to its best record in 17 years with 24 wins         - Helped lead USC to the 2011 WNIT Championship game         - Helped USC reel in two nationally ranked recruiting classes (#8 2010, #14 2011)         - Helped lead the Los Angeles Sparks to the 2008 Western Conference Finals        Has coached       - Eight All-Big West Selections (First Team-2; Second Team -3; Honorable Mention-3)       - Three Big West Sixth Players of the Year       - One Big West Defensive Player of the Year       - Two Big West All-Freshman Team Players       - Seven McDonalds All-Americans       - Five All-PAC-12 Players       - Three Kodak All-Americans       - Four Olympic Gold Medalists   Awards and Honors       - Big West Coach of the Year (2015)       - WBCA District 8 Coach of the Year (2008)       - Three-time South Coast Conference Coach of the Year (2000, 06, 07)       - Southern California Coach of the Year (2000)  

Delanian works primarily with the teams post players and has a significant role in the preparation of scouting reports and other film breakdowns.   In his role as the teams director of operations, Delanian played an integral part in overseeing many facets of the program, including preparing scouting reports; assembling video breakdowns; handling recruiting visits; preparing team travel; ordering and keeping an inventory of team equipment and apparel; balancing teams budget; monitoring academic progress of the team; managing the teams student-manager staff; and serving as the teams liaison with the compliance office. Prior to his time at the University of Hawaii, Delanian worked for five years at the University of Southern California. Most recently, he was the teams director of operations for three seasons, following two years as the teams video coordinator/graduate assistant. Delanian also organized community service projects and worked on increasing the programs outreach to local elementary and high schools.   He earned both his bachelors and masters degrees from USC. Delanian graduated with a B.A. in print journalism in 2007 and earned his masters degree in communication management in 2010. As an undergraduate, Delanian was a member of the Women of Troys male practice squad and worked closely with the teams post players.  

Derrick Florence is entering his sixth season as an assistant coach with the Rainbow Wahine basketball program. He focuses on post player development, defensive strategy and recruiting. Prior to joining the UH coaching staff in 2021, he served eight years as an assistant coach at Sacramento State and one at Cal State LA (2012-13). He was also the girls basketball head coach at Centennial High School in Compton, Calif., for six seasons.    COACHING EXPERIENCE Hawai‘i, Assistant Coach (2022-Present) Sacramento State, Assistant Coach (2013-2021) Cal State LA, Assistant Coach (2012-2013)   CAREER HIGHLIGHTS The Rainbow Wahine ranked in the fifth in NCAA Division I in field goal percentage defense (41.9%) and 22nd in scoring defense (57.1 points per game) in the 2025-26 season. UH also ranked fourth in blocks per game (6.2). UH led the nation in 3-point percentage defense in the 2024-25 season. The Rainbow Wahine also ranked third nationally in field goal percentage defense and seventh in scoring defense. UH held opponents to 53.1 points per game in 2024-25 and led the Big West in scoring defense for the first time since 2016. The average was the lowest in the Big West since the 2012-13 season (UC Santa Barbara, 52.9). Helped coach Sacramento State to back-to-back 18-win seasons in 2013-14 and 2014-15. Part of the coaching staff at Sac State that led the Hornets to the third round of the WNIT in 2015. Serving as an assistant coach, helped lead Cal State LA to a 21-11 overall record in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) during the 2012-2013 campaign. Founded the Changing Perceptions Together basketball organizations (C.P.T), which is a youth basketball organization targeted at inner city, underprivileged girls, particularly within the Compton Unified School District area.   HOMETOWN Compton, Calif.   EDUCATION Morehouse College, B.A., Sociology, 1997. Harvard, M.A., Education Policy and Management, 2001.