Cavinder twins more than just TikTok stars. This is what their UM teammates had to say

It is inevitable, when a pair of new players show up with four million TikTok followers and $1 million in endorsements, that much of the preseason buzz is going to center around them.

But University of Miami women’s basketball coach Katie Meier and her returning players enter the 2022-23 season with a unified message about newcomers Haley and Hanna Cavinder: The twin guards, who transferred from Fresno State, may be social media stars, but they are basketball players first.

They are gym rats who get to training early and stay late. They spend extra time dissecting film. On the court, they are tenacious and bring high energy every day.

“They’re not only TikTok famous, they’re really good basketball players and work hard for it,” said senior guard Kenza Salgues. “They are aggressive. They can shoot. They’re good teammates who bring good energy and encourage all of us. People need to stop seeing them only as social media stars. They are way more than that.”

Sophomore guard Ja’Leah Williams agreed: “The twins are more than just NIL and social media. Their work ethic is remarkable the way they’re in the gym early in the mornings. Their energy, their support, it feels like they’ve been here a long time. There was a connection with us like a snap of a finger from the minute they got here.”

Haley was a three-time All Mountain West selection and was conference Player of the Year as a sophomore. She scored 19.8 points per game with 9.4 rebounds as a junior. This week she was named to the ACC Preseason Newcomer Watch List.

Hanna also received All-Mountain West honors as a freshman and sophomore, started all 29 games last season and averaged 14.6 points per game.

“They are relentless competitors,” Meier said. “They’re in the gym. They want to do film with me. They stay late. They shoot on their own. Very driven. If there is something to master and they don’t have it mastered, they’re not going to let go of the bone. They’re going to dig in.”

Although they are identical twins, their personalities and playing styles are different. Haley is more aggressive, intense and plays on instinct. Hanna is a student of the game, prefers to read the defense and then make a play.

The Hurricanes hope the addition of the twins will help them build on the success of last season.

Miami finished tied for seventh in the league last spring but made a surprise run in the ACC Tournament and reached the championship game before losing to North Carolina State. They had a tough draw in the NCAA Tournament and lost in the second round to eventual national champion, No. 1 South Carolina.

UM was picked to finish sixth in the ACC Preseason poll. The five teams ahead of Miami all rank in the top 15 of the AP Preseason Top 25. The Canes received 11 votes in the national poll.

UM athletic director Dan Radakovich said there has been a steady increase in ticket sales for both the men’s and women’s programs since their success last spring.

“On the women’s side there’s been a lot of enthusiasm for their program, especially with the twins coming on board,” Radakovich said.

In addition to being elite basketball players, he said, they are perfect examples of how Name, Image and Likeness can benefit student-athletes. He pointed out that many college students – himself included – major in business but leave school with no practical experience.

“Haley and Hanna when they graduate, they already are entrepreneurs,” he said. “They’re leaving with a PhD in practicality of how to run a business. They’re wonderful representatives, their family is great and I’m really looking forward to watching them play here. The fact they have four million TikTok followers, maybe it will affect the number of people here in the Watsco Center. We hope so.”