By Ray Hamill — After thrilling local fans for the past few years, twin sisters Mae and Tae Wolford announced on Friday that they will be taking their talents to Sierra College after graduation later this year.

The two Arcata High seniors have left a quite a mark with the Tigers and enjoyed plenty of success during their three years playing varsity basketball, leading the program to a 58-23 record over those three seasons, including a 21-3 mark in the Big 5.

They also won back-to-back Big 5 titles the past two years, as well as a Dick Niclai Tournament championship as seniors, while also reaching a NorCal championship game in 2024 for just the second time in program history.

On Friday, they made their announcement in front of a gathering of friends, family, teammates and coaches at Arcata High.

And Arcata head coach Charlie Espinoza expressed his gratitude for what they brought to the program.

“You guys raised the roof, raised the bar of what it means to be a Tiger,” Espinoza told the gathering. “And I can’t thank you enough for that.”

Tae is a two-time Big 5 MVP, while her sister was a conference co-MVP as a junior.

Both were named co-Humboldt Sports Players of the Year for 2025/26.

This past season, Tae averaged a team-best 17.7 points a game, as well as 5.7 rebounds and four steals, while Mae was equally effective, averaging 14.8 points and 3.9 steals, as well as a team-high 8.1 rebounds a game.

And, as you would expect after such sensational careers on the high school courts, both players received a lot of interest at the collegiate level.

But they felt Sierra was a perfect fit, both academically and athletically, and were sold on joining the Wolverines after visiting the campus last year.

“When I went there, they just felt very welcoming and the coach is super nice,” Tae said. “I really like her, and the teammates, they were fun to be around, and I just think their campus is very beautiful too.”

Photos by Ray Hamill/HumboldtSports.com

Her sister echoed the sentiment.

“I chose Sierra mostly because of the basketball program and the community,” Mae said. “The campus is beautiful, and when we met the team last summer they were really nice and welcoming.”

Espinoza, who took over the program when the twins were sophomores, has seen first hand just what this dynamic duo has meant to Arcata High basketball.

“I think you guys all are aware of how important that they are to this program, of how important they are to this school, of how important they are to us as coaches, us as people, and us as a community,” he told the gathering on Friday. 

“The amount of effort, the amount of energy, the amount of heart that you guys put into this program, that you put into just the little things.”

According to both sisters, several people helped them on the path to success.

They each thanked their mother, Violla, for the hugely influential role she has played on their basketball journey and for everything she has done for them.

“You’ve been my rock through it all,” Tae said of her mother. “I wouldn’t be here without you and I carry everything you taught me into this next chapter.”

The sisters also expressed their gratitude to their teammates and coaches.

“I’d like to thank my teammates for being there for me, for always being in my corner. You guys aren’t just my teammates, you guys are also my family,” Mae said, adding that her coaches — Espinoza, Romeo Steele and Chris Ardrey — helped to push her to be “the best I can be.”

“You guys have thought me so many skills, on and off the court,” she added of the three coaches. “I know you guys will also be in my corner and I’m so grateful for you guys too.”

Tae added: “Seeing all you guys here today means more to me than I can really put into words. This moment isn’t just mine, it belongs to everyone who supported me and believed in me and stood by me throughout these past years.”

And she also expressed her gratitude to the role her coaches played in her development.

“You guys didn’t just coach me, you’ve guided me,” she said. “You’ve helped me find direction when I needed it most and pushed me to grow and saw something in me that I didn’t see in myself.”

Both sisters clearly enjoyed their time playing for the Tigers, but it wasn’t just the tremendous success they achieved that made it special.

Asked what she’ll remember the most from her time playing with the Tigers, Tae responded without hesitation.

“The connection with all the people that I’ve made memories with,” she said. “And the Niclai (championship) and our game we lost against SB (in the 2024 NorCal final). Even though we lost, I feel it was a good experience for us.”

Asked what she’ll remember the most from her time with the Tigers, Mae pointed to one game in particular.

“Definitely winning the Niclai,” she said. “That was big part of my career.”

The talented twins will join a Wolverines program that was 20-10, including a 9-7 in Big 8 conference, and made it to the second round of the state playoffs.