Ki'ilani Spencer-Vasconcellos
Ki'ilani Spencer-Vasconcellos' put together a pair of remarkable, record-breaking seasons for Menlo College Women's Basketball from 2002-04. Her path to Menlo College Women's Basketball and then Head Coach Caitlin Collier's squad was non-traditional. A Kona, Hawaii native, Spencer-Vasconcellos was the High School Player of the Year for state champion Punahou in 1997, leading her to University of Hawaii to play basketball. Leg injuries derailed her career and she eventually left the Hawaii campus in 1999. After taking some time away from basketball, then freshman on the team and fellow Honolulu native, Shannon Riley, brought Ki'ilani's name up to Coach Collier. Spencer-Vasconcellos' phone rang (and rang) and in the spring semester of the 2002-03 season, she was officially enrolled at Menlo College and joined the team. The team went 10-7 with her on the floor, after going 1-8 to begin the year without her.
Her senior season in 2003-04 was one of the best single-seasons in Menlo Women's Basketball history. She helped Menlo to a 14-13 overall record and 9-7 mark in Cal Pac play. Ki'ilani averaged a then Menlo record 16.3 points per game shooting 44% from the field and knocked down a team-leading 59 threes. When the season ended she scored a team-best 407 points and added 42 steals and 77 assists.
"I thought Coach Spataro might be having a mild stroke for a second," joked Spencer-Vasconcellos about the phone call she received telling her she was set to be inducted into the Hall of Fame. "To find specific words I could say: disbelief, shock, and much appreciation choke mahalo, me ka ha'aha'a (with humility)," she finished.
For her efforts during the 2003-04 seasons, she eared honors as the Cal Pac's MVP and a third-team All-American – the first women's basketball All-American in program history.
To this day, she still holds a number of women's basketball records including: 3rd in career points per game (15.5), 10th in career three pointers made (78), tied for 7th in single season points per game (16.3 – 2003-04), and 7th in three pointers made in a season (59 – 2003-04)
