Despite being over a month into its 2025 season, the slate is clean for the University of Hawai‘i soccer team.
After winning the Big West regular season title in 2024, the Rainbow Wahine entered the season with high hopes but enter their conference opener on Thursday at Long Beach State 2-4-3 overall. Coincidentally, UH's 2025 season has drawn comparisons to its 2024 campaign. The 'Bows were 3-6 overall when entering conference play last year and peaked at the right time, rattling off five Big West consecutive victories en route to the regular season crown.
In 2025, head coach Michele Nagamine believes the rigors of the season have thus far have prepared her team another spirited run in conference play, though repeating as champions will be a tall task. The Rainbow Wahine began their season with an Aug. 14 contest at Long Beach State that did not count towards the conference standings.
"We've been talking about just resetting everything," Nagamine said. "It's 0-0-0 right now, and we want to make sure that we put our best feet forward this week against Long Beach. Getting to play them in the first game, I think was really good for us just to get our feet wet, get the younger players some minutes, as well. We're really excited to get on the road, start the defense of our regular season conference championship, but it's going to be a tremendous feat to do any kind of repeat. We've got some injuries to some key players, but I really do like the next woman up mentality."
A season-ending ACL injury to Leila Kahoano just two contests in was dispiriting for the team, especially since the Kamehameha alumna and San Diego transfer sat out the 2024 season for UH and scored the first goal for the team in 2025.
Meanwhile, defensively, the Rainbow Wahine coaching staff has played three different goalkeepers in Kennedy Justin, Brianna Chirpich and Julia Ortega. As a freshman, Justin was the 2024 Big West Goalkeeper of the Year. But all three UH goalkeepers in 2025 are seeking consistency and have allowed a total of 17 goals over the course of nine contests.
Although it captured its first-ever Big West regular season title in 2024, Hawai‘i's season ended on a disappointing note. The 'Bows went 8-1-1 in their conference slate, earning hosting rights in the conference tournament. However, the 'Bows were shut out 3-0 by Cal State Bakersfield in the semifinals.
Thursday's contest against Long Beach State will be the beginning of UH's final season in the Big West. In 2026, the vast majority of UH's teams, including soccer, will migrate to the Mountain West Conference.
"I'm always the glass is half full kind of kind of girl," Nagamine said. "I told them, hey, if you want to really look at it, your record for nonconference is better than it was last year. We're just trying to find the little happies that we can we can grab, and we'll grab them anywhere we can get them. ... We are very much looking forward to getting back on the road and just really embracing the opportunity."
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Christian Shimabuku can be reached at christian@alohastatedaily.com.
