Seasiders ready to step up

By Al Chase
Star-Bulletin

The first thing Brigham Young University-Hawaii women's volleyball coach Wilfred Navalta did when he returned to the school's Laie campus yesterday was go to his office and find out which recruits had responded recently.

Navalta has been out of town for 10 days, coaching the 1997 Seasiders to a fourth consecutive NAIA National Volleyball Championship in Kankakee, Ill. And, in his 13th year as coach, BYUH closed out its NAIA tenure with a 32-0 season, Navalta's first unbeaten team.

"It was great for us to be in the NAIA and have the opportunity to win national titles," Navalta said. "The NAIA has really help BYUH set a good foundation for our move to the next level."

BYUH and Hawaii Pacific University, Hawaii's last two NAIA-affiliated schools, expect to become full members of NCAA Division II early next year and begin play at that level in the 1998-99 school year.

The Seasiders won six of the last seven NAIA titles and eight overall under Navalta. They topped off a 17-year run that saw Hawaii schools win 14 national titles beginning with the University of Hawaii at Hilo's four consecutive crowns (1981-1984). The Vulcans also won in 1988 and Hawaii Pacific's title came in 1990.

Senior outside hitter Ana Alves and defensive specialist Rachel Nihipali conclude their BYUH careers with four consecutive national titles, a 128-7 record and only two losses in the past three seasons.

Navalta said this year's team was different in one noticeable way.

"Besides having talent, I think it was their mild personality. That was the best and most unique characteristic of this team," the coach said. "When we recruit, we look for loud and aggressive personalities, people who are animated on the court.

"This team was very mild and got along with each other so well. Sometimes in practice it was love, love, love, not kill, kill, kill, but their personalities complimented each other. It made them click.

"It was a great way to end our time in the NAIA and a great way to begin our relationship with NCAA Division II. We've never won in Division II, so it's exciting to look forward to that."

Navalta also loses outside hitter Kalolaine Uluave, who has finished her eligibility, but has a strong group of returnees led by sophomore middle blocker Arlete Silva, the NAIA tournament's Most Valuable Player.

Other returning starters include freshman outside hitter Vanessa Valansi, an all-tournament first-team selection, sophomore setter Juliana Lima, a second-team, all-tournament pick and freshman middle blocker Karla Ribeiro.

NAVLATA HONORED: For the seventh time in his career, Navalta was named the NAIA Coach of the Year.

NAIA National Tournament

Women's Division I

Top four places, year-by-year

Year--Champion	Second Place	Third Place	Fourth Place
1997--BYU-Hawaii	Biola (Cal.)	x-Rochkurst (Mo.)	NW Nazarene (Idaho)
1996--BYU-Hawaii	Pt. Loma Nazarene (Cal.)	x-Columbia (Mo.)	x-Rockhurst (Mo.)
1995--BYU-Hawaii	Puget Sound (Wash)	x-Fresno Pacific (Cal.)	x-Western Oregon
1994--BYU-Hawaii	Western Oregon	Puget Sound (Wash)	Fresno Pacific (Cal.)
1993--Puget Sound (Wash)	Hawaii-Hilo	Westmont (Cal.)	Henderson St. (Ark.)
1992--BYU-Hawaii	Cal Baptist	Western Oregon	Henderson St. Ark.)
1991--BYU-Hawaii	IUPU-Indianapolis	Northwood (Mich.)	Fresno Pacific
1990--Hawaii Pacific	Texas Wesleyan	Western Washington	St. Francis (Ill.)
1989--Fresno Pacific	Hawaii Pacific	Southwestern (Texas)	Hawaii-Hilo
1988--Hawaii-Hilo	Western Oregon St.	Hawaii Pacific	Montevallo (Ala.)
1987--BYU-Hawaii	Western Oregon St.	Texas Wesleyan	Southwestern (Texas)
1986--BYU-Hawaii	Lewis & Clark (Ore.)	Puget Sound	Texas Wesleyan
1985--St. Mary’s (Cal.)	Biola (Cal.)	Hawaii-Hilo	Wisconsin-Milwaukee
1984--Hawaii-Hilo	BYU-Hawaii	Wisconsin-Milwaukee	Texas Lutheran
1983--Hawaii-Hilo	St. Mary’s (Cal.)	BYU-Hawaii	Missouri Western
1982--Hawaii-Hilo	Texas Wesleyan	Metro State (Col.)	Kearney St. (Neb.)
1981--Hawaii-Hilo	Southwestern (Texas)	Bethel (Kan.)	Southern Utah
1980--Azusa Pacific	East Texas State	Kearney St. (Neb.)	St. John Fisher (N.Y.)

x - Teams share third place.

AIAW National Tournament

Women's Division II

Top four places, year-by-year

Year--Champion	Second Place	Third Place	Fourth Place
1981--Hawaii-Hilo	Texas Lutheran	Northern Colorado	Sam Houston State
1980--Northridge State	Hawaii-Hilo	UC Riverside	Texas Lutheran
1979--Hawaii-Hilo	Florida International	Lewis Univ. (Ill.)	Northern Colorado
1978--Central Florida	Hawaii-Hilo	UC Riverside	Dominguez Hills St.

NOTE: In 1980, Hawaii-Hilo was an AIAW member only and did not participate in the NAIA Tournament.