---

Sanders earns WAC weekly honors

Hawaii junior guard Amy Sanders was named the player of the week in Western Athletic Conference women's basketball for her performances last week against Louisiana Tech and SMU.

Sanders scored a career-high 27 points against the Lady Techsters, including the game-winning basket, as the Rainbow Wahine defeated LaTech for the first time in 15 meetings. Sanders had double-doubles in the two games, 27 points and 10 rebounds against La Tech, and 10 points and 10 rebounds in a loss to the Mustangs. She was also a combined 15 of 18 in free throws.

Hawaii joins Rice and Boise State as the only teams to have defeated the Lady Techsters since they joined the conference in 2001-02. La Tech is 71-4 in WAC games.

Warriors still No. 2 in Volleyball magazine poll

The Hawaii volleyball team remained No. 2 in the latest poll released by Volleyball magazine.

The Warriors (8-1) are behind top-ranked UCLA (12-1). Hawaii puts its 6-0 Mountain Pacific Sports Federation mark on the line against USC (4-10, 1-6) in matches Thursday and Friday at the Stan Sheriff Center.

Steeg lauded by state Senate

The Hawaii state Senate officially recognized former NFL senior vice president Jim Steeg in charge of special events for his service to the Pro Bowl and its impact on Hawaii's youth.

"The NFL has made a tremendous effort to give back to Hawaii's communities," Sen. Donna Mercado Kim said. "With Steeg's leadership, youth training clinics, previously only offered in Super Bowl cities, are now offered as part of the annual Pro Bowl program. The benefits extend all the way down to the local levels. Millions of dollars have been donated to the state by the NFL."

Steeg leaves the NFL to be chief operating officer of the San Diego Chargers. His replacement is former NHL executive Frank Supovitz.

"We wish Jim all the best, and we're looking forward to working with Frank and his team," Rex Johnson of the Hawaii Tourism Authority said.

Wahine track team fares well in Washington

SEATTLE » The Hawaii track and field team won three events and placed second in four others over the weekend at two meets hosted by the University of Washington at the Dempsey Indoor Facility.

In Sunday's Washington Open, UH's Tasha Monroe won the 400-meter run, while teammate Kelly Young captured the 1,000 meters and Meghan Weaver placed first in the shot put.

Weaver tossed a school-record 13.55 meters.

Hawaii's Novelle Murray earned a second-place finish in the 20-pound weight throw, and teammate Dana Buchanan was second behind Young in the 1,000.

In addition, UH's Ashley Monfort was the runner-up in the 400.

On Saturday, Hawaii's distance medley relay team of Young, Monroe, Monfort and Buchanan took a silver medal at the Husky Invitational with a time of 11 minutes, 43.47 seconds, a school record and the best time in the Western Athletic Conference this season.

Monster rolls into Pipeline

With a forecast of 8-to-12-foot waves, the Monster Energy Pro surf contest will start today at Pipeline.

The World Qualifying Series event will feature 162 surfers from 11 countries, including Hawaii's Jamie O'Brien. O'Brien won the Pipeline Masters event in December.

Other surfers include former world champions Tom Curren and Hawaii's Derek Ho along with defending champion Tom Dosland as well as Japan's Masatoshi Ohno and Naohisa Ogawa.

The event runs until Feb. 28.