2026 Star Ki’ele Ho-Ching Was Drawn To Family Feel At OU

Ki’ele Ho-Ching Ki’ele Ho-Ching INF Long Beach Polytechnic | 2026 #1 Nation CA is used to having her older sister right by her side. Growing up in Long Beach, California, their sibling bond became even stronger through their shared love for softball. They are the two girls in a family that includes five brothers.

It’s been an adjustment period for Ki’ele—Prep Softball’s No. 1 recruit in the 2026 class—with Tiare in the midst of her freshman season at Arizona State. 

“It’s different, for sure,” Ki’ele said. “It’s a huge change, not only on the field, but at home, and not having someone to ride with me to school, or take me to practice or games and stuff. But I’m very fortunate to have great teammates that fill in her spot any time. They’re great too.”

Ki’ele will be starting her own college journey soon. The 2026 star recruit has committed to four-time defending national champion Oklahoma.

“Coming from a big family, the culture of a school means a lot to my family and I. Being somewhere where my parents are comfortable with me being and leaving their baby was very important,” Ho-Ching said. “OU felt like a family, like a very healthy family. There are a lot of great people with great hearts to be around.”

Ho-Ching was named one of the Top Performers from USA Softball’s U16 National Team Selection Event, and was recently selected to the roster for the U-18 WBSC World Cup Finals.

Ho-Ching played nearly every sport growing up besides basketball, because “I don’t do well with sweaty people touching me.” She became fully committed to softball by age 7, and her big sister was always along for the ride.

“We’ve always tried to play on the same team. I would always play up with her,” Ho-Ching said. “We have a very strong relationship on and off the field, but on the field it’s very special. Playing in the infield with her is always great. We have great chemistry. Just growing up knowing my sister’s got my back is always helpful when we’re on the field together.”

Ho-Ching has been a utility player since she was young. As she’s gotten older, she’s played mostly middle infield, third base and outfield.

“I think my strongest suit is definitely the hitting aspect. I think I know the game pretty well, having played for so long,” she said. “I want to teach other people, but I also have a lot to learn as well.”

Ho-Ching’s dad played football at the University of Hawaii, and she is following the family tradition by playing flag football for Long Beach Poly High and a club team.

“My slide coach is one of my dad’s friends and he encouraged me to play another sport during the offseason,” she said. “It’s great because it’s very different from softball and another way to connect with different people. Honestly, it’s just super fun.”

Ho-Ching and her sister honored their uncle, Herman, who played running back at the University of Oregon, by wearing his Oregon and Long Beach Poly numbers for flag football. Herman drowned in the Clackamas River in 2023 after jumping from a cement water intake structure and never resurfacing. 

“It definitely brought my family a lot closer together,” Ho-Ching said. “His sons actually stayed living in Oregon, but I see my cousins a lot more now. They come down to California and spend a lot of time with us.”

Outside of sports, Ho-Ching enjoys cooking and baking, which comes in handy with a big family of athletes and former athletes.

“That is something I do all the time. My sister and I used to have baking competitions and she would always lose,” Ho-Ching said. “My dad is especially a sweets person, so whoever made the best things, he would have them make them a lot. I am not a sweets person, so I don’t eat anything. I just bake for everyone else. Baking makes my family happy.”

Ho-Ching currently has a broadcasting internship for The562.org. She conducts interviews, records podcasts, and takes photos at sporting events. As of now, her future career goals are outside of the media.

“I want to own my own real estate business. That is the main thing that I’m really interested in,” she said. “I love interior design and all aspects of houses. But aside from that, I also do want something in sports medicine, maybe like a physical therapist.”

Ho-Ching misses seeing her sister every day, but is thrilled to see her playing on the big stage at ASU. Her college career will be played a longer distance from home, which is why the environment at OU was important to her.  

“Being in a big family, you’re never really alone,” she said. “So just leaving my family will be hard. But I just felt like OU was another big family who would support me.”