NCAA ruling will keep UH
By Cindy Luis
from bidding for regional
Star-BulletinIt could be a cold and dark December for University of Hawaii volleyball fans and the Special Events Arena. The Wahine might go to Las Vegas Thanksgiving week and not return home to play. Because of a new ruling designed to spread the postseason volleyball wealth around the country, Hawaii cannot bid for a regional for a third consecutive year, even if the Wahine were among the top eight seeded teams. The ruling affects the 1997 and '98 seasons and will be re-evaluated after next year.
Hawaii officials have put in a bid to host the first and second rounds Dec. 4-5.
The NCAA postseason format has the top eight seeds hosting a three-team tournament, with the host receiving a first-round bye.
The Nos. 7-16 seeds will host a four-team tournament with two semifinals and a championship match.
The winners of the second-round matches advance to four regionals. The highest remaining seed that has submitted a qualifying bid will host a regional.
"I don't think we'll be in the top eight, but we hope to be among the top 16 seeds," said Marilyn Moniz-Kaho'ohanohano, UH's assistant athletic director for women's sports. "I think we can expect to be, but we need to get at least to the championship of the WAC Tournament and possibly beat BYU to make sure that happens.
"A lot of schools are having problems because of the conflicts with men's and women's basketball. Both (Rainbow men's coach) Riley Wallace and (Wahine coach) Vince Goo have been very understanding and have worked their basketball tournament schedules around volleyball this year and next."
Moniz-Kaho'ohanohano, who is on the NCAA Women's Volleyball Committee, said Hawaii also will not bid to host a regional in 1998. UH is hosting the 1998 men's volleyball final four April 30-May 1 and is the site of the 1999 women's volleyball final four.
The decision not to allow schools to host more than two consecutive regionals is controversial. It penalizes some of the more successful programs, merit-wise and financially.
Hawaii is leading the nation in attendance for a fourth consecutive season, drawing 114,064 in 16 home dates so far. UH is the only school to ever surpass the 100,000 mark in annual attendance and has done it each season since the Special Events Arena opened in October of 1994.
Hawaii has hosted a second-round and regional the past two years. Except for last season's final four appearance in Cleveland, the Wahine have not had to travel to the mainland for postseason play since the 1994 Northwest Regional at Long Beach State.
Profit is not supposed to be a factor in determining postseason sites. Defending champion Stanford and No. 3 Florida have perennially hosted regionals that haven't drawn well.
"I think it might be good for volleyball to move the sites around," Moniz-Kaho'ohanohano.
"But I know there are many coaches who don't agree."
Hawaii (17-4 overall, 9-0 conference) has two regular-season home games remaining: TCU Nov. 6 and SMU Nov. 8.
BIG LUAU: Long Beach State no longer has a football program, forcing the school to improvise for its Homecoming Weekend -- the school, which nicknamed itself "The Beach," now has "The Luau" in the parking lot next to its on-campus arena.
Saturday "The Luau" coincides with Hawaii's non-conference match against the No. 2-ranked 49ers. Serendipity aside, the school is heavily promoting the event in hopes of setting a women's volleyball attendance record at the 5,000-seat Pyramid.
Long Beach State broke its single-match attendance mark of 2,460 earlier this season in a straight-set sweep of Pacific.
Olympian and Fab 50 pick Cheryl Weaver from D.C. Junior Volleyball Club in Washington, D.C., will be on hand Saturday.
Weaver, a 6-foot-3 middle blocker, has narrowed her choice of colleges to Hawaii, Florida and Long Beach State.
This is her recruiting trip to Long Beach State. Weaver has visited Hawaii and Florida.
GONE, NOT FORGOTTEN: Wahine outside hitter Joselyn Robins is making her second straight trip to the final four. At least her picture is.
The former UH player, who completed her eligibility last season, is the featured player in the ads for the NCAA national championship. The final four is Dec. 18 and 20 at Spokane (Wash.) Arena.
STILL THE ONE: Brigham Young-Hawaii remained the unanimous choice in the NAIA poll released yesterday. The Seasiders (23-0) received all nine first-place votes and lead runner-up Columbia, Mo. (30-1) by nine points. Hawaii Pacific, 25th last week, fell from the ranks after a loss to BYUH.
HIAC'S BEST: Danielle Robins of Chaminade was named the Hawaii Intercollegiate Athletic Conference's Player of the Week for the second straight week.
The senior outside hitter had 39 kills, 49 digs, seven service aces and two blocks in a pair of Pac West victories last week that put the Silverswords atop the league with a 9-1 record.
The facts
Tomorrow: Hawaii (17-4, 9-0) at San Diego State (11-8, 7-2), 5:30 p.m. HST
1997 UH Wahine Volleyball Schedule
http://uhathletics.hawaii.edu
