Women's Basketball Roundup: New Signings, SEC Schedule, and Coaching Moves

The University of Hawai'i women's basketball team adds two guards to the 2024-25 roster, while the Kentucky Wildcats face a tough SEC schedule and Alabama women's basketball hires a new strength and conditioning coach.

Women’s Basketball Adds Two Guards to Signing Class

===============

The University of Hawai’i women’s basketball team has added two more guards to the 2024-25 roster with the signing of Kira-May Filemu, a freshman from Australia, and Mia ‘Uhila, a transfer from Portland State.

UH head coach Laura Beeman announced the signings on Monday, raising the ‘Bows’ incoming class to five newcomers. Filemu’s signing gives the Rainbow Wahine four freshmen from Down Under, joining Danijela Kujovic (Victoria, Australia) and Rebecca Moors and Ritorya Tamilo (both from Auckland, New Zealand). She also adds international experience to the roster as a member of Samoa’s national program.

Freshman, Guard, 5 foot 11, Wattle Grove, New South Wales, Australia

Filemu graduated from Westfields Sports High School in 2023 and played for the Bankstown Bruins club team. She helped Westfield capture the Australian All Schools Nationals U20 Division championship in 2022, averaging 21.6 points per game in the tournament. She also helped Bankstown win the Premier League U18 championship and earned the Scott Fenton Basketballer of the Year award in 2023.

Senior, Guard, 5 foot 8, Anchorage, Alaska

‘Uhila played in 84 games in three seasons at Portland State and started all 31 games for the Vikings in the 2023-24 season. She averaged 30.7 minutes per game as a junior and ranked fourth on the team with 8.5 points per game and was second with 86 assists. She also averaged 4.9 rebounds per game and led the Vikings with 39 steals.

Kentucky Wildcats’ SEC Schedule

The Kentucky Wildcats have a tough SEC schedule ahead of them, with home and away games against Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, Florida, LSU, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas A&M, and Vanderbilt. They will also face Georgia, Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Missouri, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, and Vanderbilt on the road.

The SEC is going to be a gauntlet, but if the Wildcats are able to win 11 games in conference play this season, Big Blue Nation should be happy. In all honesty, any winning record in conference play is a good thing, knowing how good this conference will be during the 2024-25 season.

Kevin Markle Named Alabama Women’s Basketball Strength and Conditioning Coach

Kevin Markle has been named the associate strength and conditioning coach for the Alabama women’s basketball team. Markle comes to The Capstone after serving a three-year stint at Stony Brook University, serving as the Seawolves’ assistant director of athletic performance from 2021-24.

Markle played a role in the development of 2024 CAA Player of the Year Gigi Gonzalez and helped the Seawolves post a combined 69 wins over his three-year tenure.

Associate Strength and Conditioning Coach, Alabama Women’s Basketball