IRVINE, Calif. - UC Irvine women's basketball has signed Kimiko Kennedy and Lauryn Madsen to National Letters of Intent head coach Tamara Inoue officially announced Thursday morning.
 
Kimiko Kennedy is currently a senior at Lynwood High School in Los Angeles. As a junior, she helped the Knights advance to the quarterfinals of the 2023 CIF-Southern Section Division I Championships. Her team went 19-11 overall and won the Gateway League with a 7-1 record. The 6-foot guard spent her first two years at Lawndale High School where she was named the CIF-SS Division 4AA Player of the Year as a sophomore. In 2021-22, Kennedy led the Cardinals to the Southern Section championship while averaging 24.5 points and 8.0 rebounds per game.
 
"Kimiko came to our elite camp as a freshman and ever since then we've been following her growth throughout her high school career," Inoue said. "We are very excited to bring her in as her versatility will allow her to fit in at multiple positions."
 
Lauryn Madsen is a senior at Warden High School in Spokane, Washington. In 2022-23, Madsen was named the Eastern Washington Athletic Conference East 2B Player of the Year. The 5-foot-11 shooting guard was also a first-team all-tournament selection after leading the Cougars to a third-place finish at the state championships. As a sophomore, Madsen helped Warden win the 2021-22 Washington Class 2B State title as she led all players with 26 points on six made threes in the semifinals before scoring 13 points in the championship game. Her team finished with a 26-1 overall record.  
 
"I couldn't be more excited to have Lauryn as part of our Anteater family," Inoue said. "She comes from a championship program and knows how to win. Her competitiveness and ability to hit big shots will make an immediate impact."