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HONOLULU – A pair of local junior golf prospects have signed with the University of Hawai’i women’s golf program, head coach Julie Brooks announced. Kady Matsumoto of Mililani High School in O’ahu and Sofia Mallari of Maui Prep Academy in Lahaina, Maui will join the Rainbow Wahine for the 2026-27 season.
“I am excited to have Sofia and Kady join our ‘ohana,” Brooks said. “Kady is a great player and comes to our team with a lot of experience. It will be exciting to watch her develop and grow as a player. She had a strong finish in the state high school tournament in her junior year and will be ready to compete at a high level when she comes to college. Sofia is a multi-sport athlete and has a lot of experience in tournaments here in the islands and on the mainland. She has the strength to hit the ball far and will be able to contribute to the team in so many ways.”
Matsumoto, a standout junior golfer in the state, captured the U.S. Kids Teen World Championship this summer at Pinehurst. She is also a five-time Junior Golf Association of Hawai’i Player of the Year (2020-24), three-time O’ahu Junior Golf Association Player of the Year (2020-21, ’24), and Hawai’i State Junior Golf Association Player of the Year in 2020.
Matsumoto placed fourth at last year’s HHSAA State Championship with a 5-over 149 total. As a team, the Trojans tied for first but lost a three-hole playoff with Punahou. In 2024, she won the O’ahu Interscholastic Association championship and tied for seventh in the state championship while the Trojans finished runner-up for the team title.
Mallari is a two-sport athlete who also excels in volleyball. In golf, she helped Maui Prep to a pair of Maui Interscholastic League team titles and state championship appearances, finishing fourth in 2024 and sixth in 2023. As a sophomore, she placed third in the MIL Golf Championship. This past summer, Mallari captured the 2025 HSJGA Maui Junior Championship. She placed third in the Notah Begay Hawai’i Regional Championship in 2024 and took fifth in the Notah Begay Puerto Rico Regional Championship in 2023.
In volleyball, Mallari is a two-time team captain while leading Maui Prep to its first Maui Interscholastic League championship in 2024.
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