Olivia Crawford, a point guard with the Hawaii women’s basketball team for the past two seasons, has left the Rainbow Wahine program just days out from UH’s season opener.
UH opens the 2017-18 slate on Friday at Portland of the West Coast Conference.
The 5-foot-5 Crawford of Lakewood, Wash., was a contributing freshman on UH’s NCAA tournament team of 2015-16 and started all 30 games last year, averaging 8.2 points and 2.1 assists per game. The two-game Pacific Northwest trip, capped with a visit to Seattle University, would have been a homecoming of sorts for her.
But Crawford messaged the Honolulu Star-Advertiser: “Yes I have left the team, for personal reasons. Haven’t been kicked off or anything … just putting myself first is all!”
Crawford was competing with Arizona State transfer Tia Kanoa for the starting point guard job in the preseason. She was absent from the bench during last week’s 85-34 exhibition win over Hawaii Hilo, in which Kanoa recorded five points and five assists.
UH coach Laura Beeman declined to elaborate on the circumstances of Crawford’s departure.
“I will confirm she has left the team for personal reasons,” Beeman said of Crawford in a message Tuesday. “No further comment.”
The loss of Crawford further depletes UH’s roster.
Sophomore forward Keleah-Aiko Koloi is still on the roster but has not practiced in the preseason for undisclosed reasons. She is not expected to play this season.
“No comment with her,” Beeman said of Koloi. “When I can, I’ll make one.”
Post players Mackenzie Clinch Hoycard and Taylor Donohue are out indefinitely with injuries. Guard Courtney Middap is day to day, meaning UH has 10 or 11 available players against the Pilots.
“We need five,” Beeman said. “If I have 10, that’s more than five.”
UH, which returns All-Big West first-teamer Sarah Toeaina, was picked to finish fourth in the conference preseason polls. Toeaina, Kanoa and Monmouth transfer Rachel Odumu were recently named team captains.