Liepkalne living an adventure with Wahine

The freshman has a lot of experience being the new girl on the team

Dita Liepkalne was surprised when Maija Kublina, her coach in Latvia, broached the idea of Liepkalne coming to the United States as an international exchange student for her last two years of high school.

Hawaii Invitational Schedule: Today, Columbia vs. Oklahoma State, 5 p.m.; Hawaii vs. San Francisco, 7 p.m. Tomorrow, third place, 4 p.m.; championship, 6 p.m. Where: Stan Sheriff Center TV: UH-USF game, KFVE, Ch. 5 Radio: Both UH games, KKEA, 1420-AM Tickets: All seats general admission. $8 adults, $6 seniors. UH students with valid ID and children ages 4-18 free. Parking: $3. Notes: USF leads the series with UH 3-2. The Wahine have won two of three games with Oklahoma State. Hawaii has never played Columbia.

"I don't like to stay in one place too long. I want to go see other places," Liepkalne said. "I wasn't really aware of what I was doing (coming to the U.S.), but it sounded interesting and adventurous.

Kublina had connections with the coach at Regis Jesuit High School in Aurora, Colo. Liepkalne, another girl and the coach's son spent 2004 and 2005 there.

Liepkalne helped Regis Jesuit reach the Class 4A state semifinals by averaging 14 points and seven rebounds per game her junior year. She also began to receive recruiting letters from colleges.

However, exchange students are only allowed to play on a varsity team for one year in Colorado. Kublina used her coaching connections in Texas to facilitate Liepkalne attending Ft. Worth Christian Academy her senior year.

There she averaged 10.2 points and nine rebounds per game in helping Ft. Worth Christian to a 32-7 record and the 5A state championship.

Hawaii associate coach Pat Charity and assistant coach Matt Paton watched Liepkalne play at Ft. Worth Christian.

"What we liked was her versatility. Dita is a smart player who reads the game well. She tended to have that extra basketball maturity and a good basketball body," Paton said.

Liepkalne took her official visit to UH last fall. After the midweek stay, she made her decision and canceled a planned visit to Denver University.

"The UH coaches were nice and the team was very, very nice," Liepkalne said. "I'm glad I'm here. And, the weather, I love the weather."

Liepkalne arrived on campus a week late because of visa problems, but was in shape after spending the summer playing for the Latvian Under-20 national team.

"Dita is a good student, so that wasn't a problem," said UH coach Jim Bolla. "We really didn't do anything basketball-wise for a couple of weeks. We want the freshmen to get settled in and make sure they get off to a good start. We want them to be 3.0 or as close as possible the first semester."

Liepkalne has played in nine of 10 games, averaging 11.8 minutes, 2.2 points and 2.3 rebounds.

"There are six seniors, so I'm happy with every minute I get (on the court). The offense was hard, confusing the first week, but I'm comfortable now. I like the running game," she said.

The 6-foot guard/forward prefers the forward position, but has always played wherever a coach put her.

"At home I would play the post one minute, then be the point guard the next minute," Liepkalne said.

Her biggest transition to the college game was in the weight room.

"I never lifted the way they do here. I couldn't do anything. I couldn't bench or squat. It's getting better," Liepkalne said.

She will return to her home in Riga this summer and play her final season with the national U-20 team.

Although she has traveled extensively in Europe with the Latvian team, Liepkalne said, "All I've seen is mostly basketball courts and looking out bus windows when I wasn't sleeping."