Longtime Hawaii Women's Basketball Coach Laura Beeman Retires

Beeman leaves the program after 14 seasons and three NCAA Tournament appearances.

Apr. 1, 2026 at 10:05am

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Laura Beeman, the longtime head coach of the University of Hawaii women's basketball team, has announced her retirement after 14 seasons with the program. Beeman, who was hired in 2012, led the Wahine to 11 winning seasons, including the last seven, and three NCAA Tournament appearances. She is praised for her fearless, passionate, and classy approach that inspired her players.

Why it matters

Beeman's retirement marks the end of an era for Hawaii women's basketball. During her tenure, she built the program into a consistent winner and led the team to new heights, including three NCAA Tournament berths. Her departure leaves a significant void that the university will need to fill with the right replacement in order to maintain the program's momentum and competitiveness.

The details

Beeman, 57, is retiring after 14 seasons as the head coach of the University of Hawaii women's basketball team. She was hired in March 2012 and proceeded to lead the Wahine to 11 winning seasons, including the last seven. Hawaii won at least 20 games in each of the last three seasons under Beeman's guidance. The team made the NCAA Tournament three times during her tenure, in 2016, 2022, and 2023, though they were unable to pull off any upsets, losing each time by an average of nearly 30 points.

  • Beeman was hired as the University of Hawaii women's basketball coach in March 2012.
  • She led the Wahine for 14 seasons, from 2012 to 2026.
  • Beeman announced her retirement in April 2026.

The players

Laura Beeman

The former head coach of the University of Hawaii women's basketball team, who led the program for 14 seasons from 2012 to 2026 and guided the Wahine to 11 winning seasons and three NCAA Tournament appearances.

Jim Donovan

The former University of Hawaii athletic director who hired Beeman in 2012, one of his final acts before leaving the department. Donovan later became the athletic director at Cal State Fullerton.

Mark Campbell

A former University of Hawaii basketball player who is now the head coach of the TCU women's basketball team, one of the programs closest to breaking into the elite tier of women's college basketball.

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What they’re saying

“I want to leave this job loving it. The support and love is amazing. That's what keeps me here.”

— Laura Beeman, Former Head Coach, University of Hawaii Women's Basketball

“Coaching college sports is now less about teaching the game and teamwork and more like running a business, dealing with the transfer portal and paying players.”

— Dave Reardon, Sports Columnist

What’s next

As the University of Hawaii searches for Beeman's replacement, they may want to reach out to former Warrior player Mark Campbell, the current head coach at TCU, to get his recommendations on strong candidates who could continue Beeman's legacy and potentially lead the Wahine to a postseason breakthrough.

The takeaway

Laura Beeman's retirement marks the end of an era for Hawaii women's basketball, as she built the program into a consistent winner during her 14-year tenure. Her fearless, passionate, and classy approach inspired her players, but the challenges of modern college sports, including the transfer portal and NIL, will make it difficult for her successor to replicate that level of success without significant institutional support and resources.