Rice picked to take
WAC baseball title again

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The Rice Owls received the maximum five first-place votes worth 25 points and are a runaway choice by the Western Athletic Conference coaches to win the league baseball title for the seventh consecutive year.

Fresno State and San Jose State tied for second with 19 points. Hawaii and Nevada tied for fourth with 11 points and Louisiana Tech came in last with five points.

The preseason All-WAC team includes nine Rice players, led by sophomore first baseman Vincent Sinisi, preseason player of the year, and senior Steven Herce, preseason pitcher of the year.

Fresno State had four players on the preseason team followed by Nevada with two and San Jose State and Louisiana Tech with one player each.

UH baseball season tickets on sale: Hawaii Rainbow baseball season tickets are on sale.

Tickets in the Blue and Orange sections cost $185 plus a $40 premium seat donation. Adult tickets in the red section coast $145. Senior citizens, UH students and students age 4-18 can purchase red section tickets for $120.

Tickets are available at the Stan Sheriff ticket office, the UH Campus Center, all Foodland and Sack 'N Save stores except School Street and all Ticket Plus outlets or by telephone at 944-BOWS.

The Rainbows play the Alumni on Feb. 1, then open the regular season Feb. 7 with the first of three games vs. UCLA.

Trapasso and staff to hold coaching clinic

Hawaii baseball coach Mike Trapasso and his staff are running a clinic for baseball coaches.

The clinic is scheduled for Jan. 24 from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. and Jan. 25 from 10 a.m. to noon at Rainbow Stadium.

The mental part of the game, pitching mechanics, hitting mechanics and catching stance and throw will be covered Jan. 24 by Trapasso and assistants Chad Konishi, Keith Komeiji and Brian Green.

Coaches attending the clinic will view a UH practice session Jan. 25.

The clinic is free for coaches of high schools who are ADCA members, $10 for non-members and the public is invited.

Affleck and Zhen lead UH swim team

The Hawaii Rainbow Wahine swimming and diving team beat San Diego State 148-88 on Friday night at the Duke Kahanamoku Pool.

Freshman Jessica Affleck won the 1,000-meter Free (10 minutes, 7.38 seconds) and set a team record in the 500 Free (4:58.47).

Ying Juan Zhen took first place in the 200 Back (2:03.04), started a team win in the 400 Medley Relay and anchored a winning effort in the 200 Free Relay.

Victorya Moreno and Jenalin Miller took first and second in the 1-meter and 3-meter diving events.

UH's final home dual meet of the season is Saturday at noon against Washington.

Pros head to Big Island for USTA Challenger

Justin Gimelstob, Paul Goldstein and Taylor Dent are among the players who will participate in the Hilton Waikoloa Village USTA Challenger this week at the resort's Kohala Tennis Garden.

The main draw runs Tuesday through Sunday.

Past winners include Andy Roddick (2001) and Goldstein (2000).

Tickets may be purchased for $10 at Hilton Waikoloa Village or by calling (808) 886-1234.