Warriors No. 13 in preseason poll

The Hawaii men's volleyball team, coming off a rare losing season under coach Mike Wilton, came in at No. 13 in yesterday's AVCA Coaches Top 15 preseason poll.

The Warriors open next week with the 15th Outrigger Hotels Invitation, which features defending NCAA champion Penn State, USC and Ohio State. The Nittany Lions were a near-unanimous No. 1 pick in yesterday's poll, with 14 of 16 first-place votes.

McKibbin commits to USC

Punahou senior opposite Maddison McKibbin has signed a national letter of intent to play for the University of Southern California men's volleyball team.

McKibbin will join his brother Riley, the Trojans' sophomore setter and captain, next fall.

The 6-foot-4 McKibbin, a member of the Buffanblu's state championship teams of 2006 and '07, has also had success in beach volleyball, placing fifth last summer at the FIVB Under-19 World Championships and was part of the 2005 AAU boys under-15 title team.

UH Grand Slam baseball event set

The Hawaii baseball team hosts its seventh Grand Slam Celebration on Jan. 19 at the Stan Sheriff Center.

The event includes heavy pupus and live and silent auctions. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. with the program at 6 p.m.

Tickets are $75 each or $850 to sponsor a table. For information, call 956-6247.

[ PACWEST PLACE ]

BYUH's Sims earns weekly honor

Nathan Sims, a senior swingman for Brigham Young-Hawaii, was named the PacWest Conference men's basketball player of the week yesterday.

Sims had 15 points and 14 rebounds as the 12th-ranked Seasiders improved to 6-1 with a 80-63 win over Hillsdale (Mich.) College last week.