CHICAGO – After a run to the Big Sky semifinals with three sophomores in its starting five, the Portland State women's basketball team got more promising news about its future Wednesday as incoming player Laynee Torres-Kahapea was named the 2022-23 Gatorade Player of the Year for the state of Hawai'i.
 
Torres-Kahapea will be the second Gatorade Player of the Year on the Vikings' roster for the 2023-24 season. Mia 'Uhila also earned Gatorade Player of the Year honors in Alaska following her senior year at Bartlett High School in 2021. Torres-Kahapea and 'Uhila will become the first Viking teammates to play together as former Gatorade Players of the Year. The only other known Gatorade Player of the Year to play for the Vikings was Kate Lanz, who was twice the Player of the Year in the state of Oregon (2007-08 and 2008-09).
 
Torres-Kahapea, a 5-7 guard, earned her Gatorade Player of the Year honor after averaging 15.6 points per game across all games this season, including more than 17 points per game within Interscholastic League play. She also received league MVP honors from coaches within the league, while she was also a 2023 Honolulu Star Advertiser Fab 15 selection.
 
Torres-Kahapea signed to play for the Vikings during the early signing period in November of 2022.
 
"Laynee really stood out to us this summer on the recruiting trail with her tenacious defense and desire to compete on every possession," Portland State head coach Chelsey Gregg said of Torres-Kahapea at the time of her signing. "We love her ability as a floor general and her leadership qualities. She'll be a great addition to our program on and off the floor."
 
The Gatorade Player of the Year program annually recognizes one winner in the District of Columbia and each of the 50 states that sanction high school football, girls volleyball, boys and girls cross country, boys and girls basketball, boys and girls soccer, baseball, softball, and boys and girls track & field, and awards one National Player of the Year in each sport. The selection process is administered by the Gatorade Player of the Year Selection Committee, which leverages experts including coaches, scouts, media and others as sources to help evaluate and determine the state winners in each sport.