Maui is about to get a college-soccer first, with the University of Hawaiʻi Rainbow Wahine and Seattle University Redhawks set to meet in a preseason exhibition Sunday. The match brings Division I women’s soccer to the island while putting several Hawaiʻi-born players in front of the families and communities that helped launch their careers.
The exhibition is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 9, at King Kekaulike High School Stadium in Pukalani, according to Maui Now. Admission is $5 per person, with proceeds supporting Maui’s continued recovery efforts. The outlet reports the matchup is believed to be the first NCAA Division I women’s soccer match ever played on Maui.
The game is an exhibition rather than a regular-season contest, according to UH’s official schedule. Hawaiʻi’s regular season begins Aug. 13 on Oʻahu against Texas Tech, while Seattle’s official schedule lists the Maui appearance before the Redhawks join the Outrigger Soccer Kickoff.
Maui Players Return Home With A Youth Mission
The local ties are unusually strong: Hawaiʻi’s roster includes nine student-athletes from the islands, including Maui’s Leila Kahoano, while Seattle University has seven Hawaiʻi athletes, including Maui players Uʻi Kaʻaihue and Evalani Keawekane, Maui Now reported. After the match, both teams will host a free keiki soccer clinic for boys and girls ages 5–14, with participation requiring a waiver. The event is also intended to commemorate the third anniversary of the Lahaina wildfires through community service.
Free Clinic Follows The 3:30 P.M. Exhibition
The clinic begins at 5:45 p.m. and will give young players a chance to train alongside NCAA athletes and coaches. Participants should bring water, a soccer ball, athletic shoes and a light jacket, and the first 100 clinic participants will receive commemorative event T-shirts. The weekend’s broader goal is to connect youth soccer with education, athletics, service and Maui’s ongoing recovery.
