On Saturday morning, Hawai'i Pacific Athletics formally announced Ray Alvarado as the new Women's Basketball Head Coach ahead of the 2023-24 campaign starting this November. 

Ray Alvarado, renowned for his extensive experience in developing defensive-led championship programs, is set to lead the HPU Sharks to new heights. His impressive resume includes over 30 years of progressive experience in expanding and building competitive basketball programs. Notably, Alvarado has achieved remarkable success during his tenure as the Head Coach at the College of the Sequoias in Visalia, California. Under his leadership, since 2014, the team posted an extraordinary 231-52 overall record, with an impressive .82 win percentage. In conference play, they posted a record of 102-14, for a .88-win rate.  They secured 7 conference titles, Six Elite 8 State Tournament appearances, and 1 final four appearance, and in 2023, the team finished with a remarkable 28-3 record.  Overall, in 15 seasons at the collegiate level, Coach Alvarado has averaged 20 wins a year.

"I am honored and excited to join Hawai'i Pacific University as the Head Coach of the women's basketball team," said Coach Alvarado. I sincerely thank President John Gotanda, Vice President- CFO David Kostecki, and Executive Director of Athletics Dr. Debbie Snell for the honor of leading this team. "I look forward to building upon the program's rich history and working with our talented student-athletes to achieve even greater success on and off the court."