MALIBU Calif. — The Pepperdine women's basketball team signed its first two recruits under head coach Katie Faulkner on Friday as sisters Makena and Malia Mastora signed their national letters of intent with the Waves.

Makena Mastora spent the last three seasons at fellow West Coast Conference school Saint Mary's, while Malia Mastora began her career at Division II Seattle Pacific before competing for Cal State San Marcos over the past two seasons. Both guards graduated from St. Joseph Notre Dame, located in Alameda, Calif., and are coming to Pepperdine with one year of eligibility remaining. 

After enjoying a highly decorated prep career, Makena Mastora has been an important reserve for the Gaels over the past three seasons, averaging 5.7 points and 1.3 rebounds in 83 games. As a freshman, Makena made the WCC's All-Freshman team during the 2021-22 season, in which she played her way into the starting lineup over the last month of the regular season to help the Gaels make a run to the 2022 WBI semifinals.

This past season, Makena experienced her best collegiate basketball season, averaging 7.4 points and 1.3 rebounds in 19.7 minutes per game while coming off the bench. Makena's single-game career highs include 26 points (12/18/23 vs. Cal State East Bay), eight rebounds (2/21/22 vs. Portland), six assists (2/21/22 vs. Portland) and four steals (12/18/23 at San Francisco). In the classroom, Makena was a two-time WCC All-Academic honorable mention selection.

Malia, the eldest of the Mastora sisters, helped the Cougars win back-to-back California Collegiate Athletic Association tournament titles and reach the program's first-ever Division II Final Four this past season. After having more of a reserve role as a redshirt sophomore, she was a starter in 32 of the 34 games last year and averaged 6.4 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game. Malia has single-game highs of 16 points (1/4/24 at Stanislaus State), eight rebounds (2/21/22 at Western Oregon), five assists (2/1/24 vs. Cal Poly Pomona) and three steals (several times). 

Academically, Malia was a College Sports Communicators Academic All-District Team selection this past season, made the CCAA All-Academic team twice and earned Great Northwest Athletic Conference All-Academic honors once.