The Brigham Young-Hawaii women's tennis team has clinched its second consecutive NAIA national championship with two days of competition still ahead at Tulsa, Okla. BYUH women repeat
as national champsLed by singles semifinalists Karin Ptaszek and Teresa Stromberg and doubles semifinalists Helena Nordwall and Paiao Short, BYUH began play today with an insurmountable 37 points in the team standings. Runner-up Auburn-Montgomery of Alabama was eight points behind, with the potential for only seven more through tomorrow's finals.
The Seasiders also had an outside shot at the men's title going into today's semifinals, thanks in large part to seventh-seeded Wei-Yu Su's 7-5, 6-1, upset victory over No. 2 Erik Sandblom of Hawaii Pacific.
Su and doubles partner Toshi Matsui won their quarterfinal match yesterday, giving BYUH 24 points, two behind co-leaders Oklahoma City and Mobile (Ala.) and one behind Auburn-Montgomery.
HPU had 16 points but no players left in the hunt.
COCKETT INVITED TO U.S. TRIALS: University of Hawaii women's basketball star Nani Cockett has been invited to the USA Basketball Women's National Team trials June 22-26 at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo.
Cockett, who recently finished her UH career as the No. 2 scorer in Wahine history with 1,866 points, was among 33 current and former college standouts invited to the trials.
Colorado State's Becky Hamilton was the only other player from the Western Athletic Conference to receive an invitation.
SIX MORE HAWAII SURFERS ADVANCE: Shane Dorian, Ross Williams, Kalani Robb and Kaipo Jaquias of Hawaii won men's heats yesterday and advanced to the third round of the ASP Japanese Marui Pro surfing meet at Torami Beach. Hawaii's Rochelle Ballard and Megan Abubo moved ahead in the women's event.
Hawaii's Sunny Garcia and Derek Ho had claimed Round 3 berths earlier in the men's meet.
Eliminated yesterday were Andy Irons, John Shimooka and Shawn Sutton of Hawaii.
TRIATHLON OPENINGS: A few slots are open for Sunday's Keauhou Kona Triathlon, which will include half-Ironman individual and relay divisions and an Olympic distance race.
All races in the state's only Ironman qualifier will start in Keauhou Bay and finish at the Keauhou Beach Hotel grounds.
To enter, call race director Joe Ackles at 808-329-0601.
WOMEN'S PUBLINX QUALIFYING: There will be sectional qualifying play at 44 sites, including four Hawaii courses, for the 1998 U.S. Women's Amateur Public Links Championship, to be held June 24-28 at the Kapalua Golf Club on Maui.
The dates and sites of the local qualifiers are tomorrow at Kapalua and the Waikoloa Beach Golf Course on the Big Island; Saturday, May 30, at the Ala Wai Golf Course in Honolulu, and Saturday, June 6, at the Wailua Golf Course on Kauai.
HUI WA'A SEASON OPENS: Na 'Ohana O Na Hui Wa'a regatta season starts at 8 a.m. Sunday with Hui O Ikaika races at Keehi Lagoon. For more information, call June Leialoha, 247-6796.