Women’s basketball closes the calendar year at the HIU Holiday Classic

Game 9

Cal Maritime Keelhaulers (2-6)
vs.
Stanton Elks (0-8)

HIU Holiday Classic — Hosted by Hope International
Wednesday, Dec. 17 – 3 p.m.
Fullerton, Calif. – Darling Pavilion

Video
Live Stats
Directions to Hope International
Hope International Campus Map


Game 10

Cal Maritime Keelhaulers
vs.
Hope International Royals (6-3)

HIU Holiday Classic — Hosted by Hope International
Thursday, Dec. 17 – 1 p.m.
Fullerton, Calif. – Darling Pavilion

Video
Live Stats
Directions to Hope International
Hope International Campus Map



VALLEJO, Calif. – Following its finals week hiatus, Cal Maritime will close 2025 with a pair of games at the HIU Holiday Classic, its lone tournament of the regular season hosted by Hope International.

The Keelhaulers' first game in Fullerton will provide a sneak preview of league play because they will face Stanton in Wednesday's 3 p.m. matchup. Even though both teams compete in the California Pacific Conference, this is a designated non-conference game. Twenty-two hours later, Cal Maritime will face the tournament host in the final game of the calendar year.

Even though this is Stanton's first year competing as a California Pacific Conference institution, it faced Cal Maritime this past January. The Keelhaulers won the first of two home games in as many days by forfeit, the defeated the Elks in the inaugural on-court meeting between the two.

This year's head-to-head league series is set for January 24 in Vallejo and the following week in Fullerton since Stanton is using Hope International's facility, Darling Pavilion, as its home for the 2025-26 season. 

The Elks are coming off a loss to La Sierra this past weekend and will enter the first game of the year against Cal Maritime on an eight-game losing streak.

Following its game against the Keelhaulers, Stanton will face Grace (IN) in the tournament's finale. Grace will square off against Hope International on Wednesday as soon as Cal Maritime's game against the Elks concludes.

Hope International, a member of the NAIA's Great Southwest Athletic Conference, will host the seventh head-to-head matchup versus Cal Maritime in the programs' history. After defeating HIU in their first meeting in 2008, the Royals won the last five straight with the last game between the two also taking place inside Darling Pavilion on November 26, 2019. 

Even though the Royals are 6-3 this season following last Friday's win over La Verne, two of their three losses took place at home.

As is the case with Cal Maritime, HIU will begin its holiday hiatus after Thursday's game ends.