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Hawaii Beat

By Star-Bulletin Staff

Wednesday, July 26, 2000

Wahine preseason
No. 1 pick

The University of Hawaii women's volleyball team was picked to defend its title and earn a fifth straight regular-season championship in a poll of the Western Athletic Conference coaches.

The Wahine earned eight of nine first-place votes and 64 points in the poll announced yesterday. Receiving the remaining vote and 55 points was San Jose State.

Fresno State, last season's runner-up, was voted third (47 points), followed by new member Nevada (44) and Rice (34). Finishing out the voting were SMU (31), TCU (22), Tulsa (16) and UTEP (11).

Hawaii, 29-2 last year, opens the season with the Hawaiian Airlines Wahine Classic, Sept. 1-4.

The Wahine face Texas A&M, the team that ousted them in the 1999 regional semifinal, in the second match Sept. 1. Also in the tournament are UCLA and Iowa.

Isle golfers third

Hawaii was in fourth place going into today's second round of the 2000 Girls' Junior Americas Cup team matches being held at the Air Force Academy golf course.

The foursome of Darene Matsuoka, Ayumi Hori, Leah Whiting and Lehua Wise had a team aggregate 231, five strokes behind the team representing Northern California (226). Mexico was second at 227 and San Diego third at 229.

The 18-team international tournament concludes tomorrow.

Team wins at nationals

The Boys and Girls Club of Hawaii Spalding Clubhouse 14-under volleyball team won its age-group division at the recent Starling Junior National Tournament in San Diego.

Spalding defeated two-time defending national champion Four Corners Volleyball Club in the title match. Tanya Menino was named the tourney's most outstanding player.

Other team members are Alana Burgess, Ann Marie Campos, Summer Casison, Nicole Dela Cruz, Kelli Greenbaum, Natasha Heffernan, Jennifer Ka'aikala, Queena Lau and Chantal Yadao. Head coach Nadine Neves was assisted by John Ka'aikala.

Robinson, Bown cited

University of Hawaii quarterback Dan Robinson and Heather Bown, a middle blocker for the Wahine volleyball team, were finalists for the Western Athletic Conference's Joe Kearney Awards given to the league's top male and female athletes.

Fresno State swept the awards, named for the former WAC commissioner.

Basketball player Courtney Alexander earned the male athlete of the year award and softball pitcher Amanda Scott the female athlete of the year award.