UH fundraising initiative aims to recruit, retain athletes

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – The University of Hawaii is trying to recruit and keep more athletes by taking over fundraising.

Players and coaches say the new process is a game changer.

During recruitment as a transfer student, UH senior Allaire Berl said money did not motivate her decision to join the ‘Bows’ women’s tennis team.

“I was offered more money at other schools, and that was definitely something I thought about for a little, but once I came out and actually met the people here and just saw how hard working everyone is on the team, it was kind of a no-brainer for me to come here,” Berl recalled.

Teammate Makeilah Nepomuceno agreed, adding, “With looking at other schools, honestly nothing beat my official visit when I visited here in Hawaii. It was really about the people.”

After meeting UH women’s tennis coach Jun Hernandez, junior Hannah Galindo also felt becoming a ‘Bow “wasn’t that difficult of a decision.”

But not all recruits feel the same, as Hernandez is well aware of, after losing about 40 prospects just this year to more profitable opportunities at other schools.

“It’s always a heartbreaker, because obviously, we look for a strong student athlete, not only they’re good students, great athletes, but also good people,” Hernandez shared.

The tennis team is not alone, as others at UH have also been plagued by players who either don’t want to commit to the school, or athletes already on the roster who transfer elsewhere over funding.

Related post: Hawaii athletics director, coaches call for NIL funding to stay competitive

‘Bows women’s basketball coach Laura Beeman emphasized business partnerships involving athletes’ name, image, and likeness (NILs) are appealing deals for players.

“You cannot practice hard enough to replace a player you lose to NIL money,” Beeman pointed out. “Are we going to be able to compete with the power fours? Absolutely not, but we have to make ourselves relevant in the Mountain West.”

This week, UH’s athletics director Matt Elliott announced a new fundraising initiative to “recruit and retain elite student athletes.”

“Over the last few months, we have been developing a vision for excellence at the UH athletics department,” Elliott said in a video posted on YouTube. “This program is going to continue to grow over coming days, weeks, and months.”

The process includes NIL collaborations with local businesses, as well as direct donations to any team.

Backers used to have to contribute through third parties, but now, UH is taking over to streamline the process.

Hernandez hopes the new structure will secure quality athletes like his own players, not only for their love of the game, but also their love for Hawaii, with the motivation to stay and represent the islands well.

“Being here, I’m so so happy I chose it, it’s been the best decision I’ve ever made,” Berl shared.

Supporters are also encouraged to attend fundraising events.

Below is a list of links to UH athletics’ donation sites, as well as a calendar for fundraisers:

1. Our Team, Hawai’i’s Team Fund – Tax deductible donations to support essential operations like travel, nutrition, and student-athlete health.

2. Boost the ‘Bows Fund (Institutional NIL) – Tax deductible donations to support recruitment and retention for elite student-athletes and strengthen our scholarship resources. For each fund, you are able to support at the department-wide level or direct your gift to a specific team.

3. Non-Institutional NIL – Creates opportunities for student-athletes through partnerships with local businesses. Engage with any of the UH student-athletes registered on INFLCR. If you don’t see a specific student-athlete, let us know.

4. Events – Join us at community and fundraising events throughout the year. To see our new all-encompassing events calendar for 2025-26, click here.

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