Hawaii Beat
Star-Bulletin staff
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UH fan base reaches new heights
SAN JOSE, Calif. » Sam Hodges got a taste of home Friday at Spartan Stadium.
"You close your eyes and think it's a little warmer, you'd think it was Aloha Stadium," said Hodges, who is from Kalihi, but has lived in Roseville, Calif., the past 10 years.
Hodges was among the thousands of UH football fans who attended the Warriors' 42-35 victory at San Jose State. He is part of a growing and fervent fan base for the 16th-ranked Warriors, many of whom are willing to travel thousands of miles to support their team.
"There's no question that's going to help us get other universities asking us to play them on the road," UH athletic director Herman Frazier said. "We had a conversation (with WAC commissioner Karl Benson and representatives of two bowl games) about how four or five years ago we didn't have that kind of support. But success and national exposure have led to this."
Is it possible the Warriors' expanding following could lead to an invitation to a mainland bowl game, even if UH loses a game this season or otherwise does not qualify for a BCS bowl?
"It's too early to say," Frazier answered, not ruling it out.
Frazier also said although UH is bowl-qualified, it cannot yet tentatively accept an invitation from the Hawaii Bowl until cleared by the Western Athletic Conference.
Today the Star-Bulletin features a look at Warrior Nation's booming population on Page B7.
McKnight headlines QB Club meeting
Hawaii assistant football coach Dennis McKnight is the featured speaker at tomorrow's Honolulu Quarterback Club weekly meeting at the Pagoda Hotel.
Also on the speakers program is Brigham Young-Hawaii assistant athletic director Scott Lowe and BYUH women's soccer coach Justin Wager.
Lunch begins at 11:30 a.m. followed by the noon program.
Ching leads Turtle Bay amateur
Punahou senior Alex Ching carded a 3-under 69 to take two-stroke lead going into today's final round of the 5th Turtle Bay Amateur golf tournament.
Ching's round on the Palmer Course included five birdies. In second at 71 was Punahou's Bradley Shigezawa with Waiakea's Henry Park and Honolulu's Brandon Kop tied for third at 72.
The top female in the championship flight was Marissa Chow (82). The final round begins at 7:30 a.m. today on the George Fazio Course.
Wahine 14th in cross country
SANTA CLARA, Calif. » Led by Chantelle Wilder's 12th-place showing, the Hawaii cross country team placed 14th at yesterday's Bronco Invitational at Baylands Regional Park.
Wilder was timed in 17 minutes, 45 seconds over the 5K course, 2 seconds off her personal best. The Rainbow Wahine scored 407 points, well off the winning pace of San Francisco, which bested the 20 other teams with 76 points.
Loyola Marymount's Laura Mickelson won the individual title in 17:03.
HSCA title to Otsuji
Marvin Otsuji of Kauai again finished as the overall series winner in the recently completed Hawaiian Sailing Canoe Association season.
Otsuji won all eight races this year for his eighth consecutive HSCA title.
Li earns DII tennis title
MOBILE, Ala. » A day after sharing in the doubles title, Brigham Young-Hawaii's Elwen Li doubled her trophy cache.
Li defeated second-seeded Johanna Dahlback of Armstrong Atlantic State, 6-0-4-6, 6-4, to earn the Division II women's tennis champion at the ITA Small College Championships.
Because of a school policy that prohibits athletic activity on Sunday, Li withdrew from today's "Super Bowl" of small-college tennis that brings together the champions from the NCAA Division II and III, NAIA and junior college divisions. Dahlback advanced to today's semifinals.
Li and partner Maggie Deng, who won the doubles title Friday, also did not compete today.
Vulcans sweep Seasiders in volleyball
Josemara Pinheiro led UH-Hilo with 20 kills and Hillary Hurley added 10 as the Vulcans beat Brigham Young-Hawaii 30-27, 30-25, 30-27 last night in Hilo.
The Vulcans also beat the Seasiders on Friday night, but that match went five games, 24-30, 30-26, 17-30, 32-30, 15-10. The sweep improved the Vulcans to 7-0 in the PacWest and dropped the second-place Seasiders to 5-4. UH-Hilo is 16-5 overall and BYUH is 9-8.
» Trina Kauliakamoa had 12 kills but it was not enough to lift Chaminade past Notre Dame de Namur in Pacific West volleyball yesterday.
Emily Evans had 12 kills and Caitlin Torres 10 for the Argonauts in a 30-18, 30-24, 30-27 victory at Gleason Gym.
The Silverswords fell to 9-5 overall, 2-4 PWC. The Argonauts improved to 7-13 and 4-3.