UAA women’s basketball coach Matt Thune has already started securing commitments for next season after adding two familiar faces this week via the transfer portal.

Wasilla’s Bella Hays will come back to Alaska after playing three seasons at Eastern Washington University, while Anchorage’s Evan Hamey will return to her hometown after spending one season at Colorado Mesa University as a redshirt.

Both players broke the news on their Instagram pages, and both players should bolster UAA’s post presence.

Hays is 6-4 and Hamey 6-3, which is taller than every player on last year’s UAA roster. In fact, the Seawolves had just one player in the rotation taller than 6-1 and that was junior Lillee Duffin, who is expected to return for her senior season.

Hays started 12 of 86 career games at Eastern Washington of the Big Sky Conference. She totaled 259 points and 211 rebounds with 30 blocked shots.

Hays’ best college season came in 2024-25, when she averaged 3.8 points and 3.1 rebounds and started 12 of 31 games.

Hays played her high school ball for legendary head coach Jeannie Hebert-Truax at Wasilla, where she was a four-time Class 4A all-state pick from 2019 to 2022. Her first year at UAA will be her fifth college season.

“Back for another one,” she wrote on Instagram.

Women’s Basketball

Tallest Players in UAA History
6-6 Ilze Teilane 2012-13
6-4 Viki Wohlers 2009-10
6-4 Karmyn Lane 1992-94
6-4 Renee Miller 1994-97
6-4 Julie Weber 1995-96
6-4 Bella Hays 2026-27

Hamey, of Dimond High fame, was a two-time Class 4A all-state player and 1,000-point scorer for the Lynx. She was a first-team All-CIC performer as a senior and averaged 16 points, 11 rebounds and three blocked shots per game.

She appeared in eight games for Colorado Mesa, having her best game against Chadron State, when she had four points, one rebound and one steal.

Hamey’s dad, Chris, played for UAA from 1995 to 2000 and finished his career with 1,168 points.

“I can’t wait to come home!” she wrote on Instagram.

Hamey will have all four years of eligibility remaining.

Based on last year’s roster, other Alaskans expected back for the Seawolves include starting point guard Mylee Anderson of Wasilla and reserve guard Jennifer Nash of Point Hope.