HIGHLIGHTS
» Career High: 21 Points (7-11 FG, 5-7 3PT) vs Multnomah (Nov. 18, 2023)
AWARDS & ACCOLADES
» 2023-24 CSC Academic All-District Team
STUDENT IN STUDENT-ATHLETE
» 2023-24 D2 Athletics Directors Association Academic Achievement Award
» 2023-24 Academic All-PacWest Team
» 2023-24 Hawai‘i Hilo Women's Basketball Scholar-Athlete
» 2023-24 Hawai‘i Hilo Student-Athlete Academic Honors
» 2022-23 WBCA Academic Special Mention
» 2022-23 Academic All-PacWest Team
» 2022-23 Hawai‘i Hilo Student-Athlete Academic Honors
2024-25 (Junior): Played in season opener before missing next eight contests ... Totaled eight points and eight rebounds in a loss to Biola (Jan. 11).
2023-24 (Sophomore): Started all 26 games, leading the team in minutes played (744), 3-pointers (37), free throws made (54) and free-throw percentage (.857). PacWest ranks (conference-only contests): No. 3 Free-Throw Percentage (.891), No. 7 Free Throws (49) and No. 14 3-Pointers (24) ... Scored 21 points on five 3-pointers in a 96-60 win over Multnomah (Nov. 18). Racked up 17 points (11-12 FT, 2-2 3PT) in a 76-70 win vs CUI (Feb. 10). Scored 16 points (3 3PT) in a 64-50 win vs ART U (Feb. 17).
2022-23 (Freshman): Played in 25 games with three starts, averaging 21.9 minutes per game. Shot .342 from long range ... Finished with 10 points with two 3-pointers in 60-51 win over Multnomah (Nov. 18). Splashed three 3-pointers off the bench in 77-74 loss to UNLV in an exhibition (Dec. 7). Made her first career start in a 86-45 win over Chaminade (Dec. 31). Scored 11 points with three 3-pointers in 60-48 win over Academy of Art (Jan. 12). Totaled a season-high three steals and 13 points on 5-of-8 shooting in a one-point loss to Biola (Feb. 21).
BEFORE HAWAI‘I HILO
» 2022 graduate of Pinewood School (California)
» Played four seasons of varsity basketball for coaches Doc Scheppler, Alex Carbonel, Miranda Seto, Anna Sterrett, Stephanie Yano, Kiki Nakano
» 2020 CCS Open Division Champion, 2018-19 Nor Cal Open Division Champion, 2018-19 State Tournament Runner-Up
» Honors: West Bay Athletic League Honorable Mention
» Played club for Team Kidd, Fever, Renegades, Foster City Flyers
» Other Sports: Track & Field
PERSONAL
» Nickname: Kai
» First Name Pronunciation: Kylee
» Born August 2004 in California
» Parents: Dianne and David Cruz
» Has three older siblings, a younger sibling and a dog named Frisco
» Career Aspirations: Medical Field
» Major: Biology
FAVORITES
» Sports Moment: "Playing and winning our first playoff game of the season two hours after I was medicated with an EpiPen (due to an allergic reaction) and released from the hospital."
» Sports Teams: Golden State Warriors, San Francisco 49ers
» Athletes: Kobe Bryant, Stephen Curry
» Movies: She's the Man
» Shows: New Girl
» Musicians: 21 Savage, Drake, Three Plus, Maoli
