The 2019-20 University of Hawai`i Hilo women's basketball team has a returning all-conference player from last year, another All-PacWest player from 2017, an All-American junior college transfer and plenty of returning talent in the backcourt.

They also have had enough health issues at times to keep all three full-time athletic trainers at UH Hilo in business.

The Vulcans look to be improved this season, albeit depending on the operative condition—that they can get healthy and then stay so.

The season officially opens this coming weekend, when head coach David Kaneshiro's team will play a pair of games against NAIA opponent Multnomah at the Civic Auditorium. Friday's game against the Lions starts at 6 pm, and Saturday's exhibition contest begins at 2 pm.

"Health has been an issue for us so far this year," said Kaneshiro, whose team had five players on the sideline for a closed door scrimmage against Kingdom of Hawai`i earlier this month. "But we are getting healthier and still have made good progress since the start of our Fall workouts. Hopefully we can get everyone back on the court soon."

One player that Kaneshiro definitely needs on the court has put together two of the most productive seasons in Vulcan history--junior post Allie Navarette. The 6-foot sharp shooter was a First Team All-Pacific West Conference selection last year, putting herself in about a dozen different school record lists for single game, single season and career.

"Allie has accomplished a lot in her first two seasons, but one of the things that makes her so fun to coach is that she is never satisfied," Kaneshiro lauded. "She's being more efficient on offense, making plays for others with her ball-handling and passing, and playing better defense than a year ago. I think she is playing better than she ever has here so I am excited for her as we start our season."

Navarette, who also earned Second Team All-West Region honors last year, averaged 19.8 points and 10.1 rebounds per game. She is a career .814 free throw shooter, and added the three-point shot to her arsenal last year (22 treys).

This year, Navarette will have scoring and rebounding help inside with Pima (Arizona) CC transfer Shauna Bribiescas. The 5-foot-11 forward averaged 15.8 points and 8.5 rebounds a game at Pima and was a Second Team D-II NJCAA All-American selection.

"Shauna is a versatile player who will help us on both ends of the court," Kaneshiro assessed. "She is a good shooter and passer who plays with toughness at the defensive end and on the boards."

Another welcome addition to Kaneshiro's team is a key piece that isn't really new at all. Kim Schmelz, a 5-foot-9 guard, was an honorable mention All-PacWest pick in 2016-17 as a sophomore but has sat out the last two seasons with an injury. She still missed summer training and most of Fall practice, but if she can return to form from two years ago, that a huge plus for the Vulcans.

"Kim has had a long tough battle to get back on the court," Kaneshiro said. "She's shown a lot of heart and has had to persevere through a lot to get back. I am really happy for her. Kim's always been a smart player, a good shooter and she has good experience to call upon. She is making improvements on a daily basis and looks to be gaining confidence as well."

Joining Schmelz in the backcourt is another player that Kaneshiro didn't have at his disposal last year but looks to be making a comeback this season. Mikayla Tablet, a red-shirt freshman who came to campus from highly heralded Konawaena High School on the other side of the Big Island, will add playmaking ability and scoring punch to help another Big Island player—Mandi Kawaha (Waiakea HS), who had a terrific freshman season in 2019, averaging 9.2 points per game while leading the team in assists with 99 and steals (38).

"Mikayla is a competitive, tough player," Kaneshiro said. "It was really tough for her to sit out last season, but she has put a lot of work into her rehab and persevered through a lot. It's great to see her back on the court."

Schmelz, Kawaha, and Tablit will team with returning starter Sara Schmizu, a long-range bomber who hit 25 three-point attempts last year. "Mandi and Sara have set a good tempo for our workouts with their work ethic and energy," their coach commented. "They are both playing with more confidence and shooting the ball better than a year ago.

Additional newcomers in the backcourt are freshman Jenna Waki, and junior transfers Jessie Goodluck and Bree Olson. Waki comes from a highly regarded high school program (CK McClatchy in Sacramento ), who is a hard worker and plays smart with poise, according to Kaneshiro. Goodluck (Independence CC) and Olson (Pima CC) bring junior college experience but have been sidelined with injuries. Olson will sit out the season and return next year.

In the front court, Kaneshiro has two returnees to compliment Navarette and Bribiescas, both of whom came back to campus in the best shape of their college careers. Malia Lee and Chyann Gabriel have impressed the coaching staff this Fall.

"Both have improved quickness and that has made a very positive impact on their play," he said. "Malia has always been strong, but she also ended last season shooting the ball well from the perimeter and that really helps us. Makamae (Chyann) has looked good in practice. She's strong, has a good skill set, and she is showing a lot more consistency than a year ago."

Last season, the Vulcans suffered through injury issues to finish 8-18 overall and 5-17 in the PacWest. But they showed potential, even against some of the best teams in the PacWest. When shooting well, they were a very dangerous team.

"We didn't shoot the ball consistently as well as I would like last year, and that's a point of emphasis this year," Kaneshiro said. "We need to rebound better and be more productive on the defensive end. That's what we have focused on coming into the season."

Having two games this weekend is a good test for the Vulcans, especially with one of the contests serving as an exhibition game, giving Kaneshiro and extra 40 minutes to test things in a competitive environment without it counting.

After that, the Vulcans will get further tested against the University of Sioux Falls and Minnesota State Moorhead at the Malika Sports Oahu Thanksgiving Classic (at Hawai`i Pacific). In reverse order, those two teams are picked 1-2 in the tough Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference.

And the Vulcans will follow that up by hosting defending PacWest and West Region champion Azusa Pacific (Dec. 2) at the Civic.

"That's a pretty tough way to begin the season," Kaneshiro said. "But if we can continue to work on just getting better day-by-day, good things can happen for us."