BYU-Hawaii grabs early lead in race for Commissioner's Cup

3 titles pushes BYU-Hawaii into Commish Cup lead

QUEEN CREEK, AZ - After winning three of the five Pacific West Conference fall championships, the Brigham Young University Hawaii athletic program has taken the early lead in the chase for the 2008-09 PacWest Commissioner's Cup.

Started in 2007-08, the PacWest Commissioner's Cup is the all-sports championship that recognizes the top athletic program in the league.

Hawai‘i Hilo compiled 52 points during the inaugural season to capture the first PacWest Commissioner's Cup last year.

BYU-Hawaii took second place with 48 team points, but this year PacWest titles in women's cross country, women's soccer and volleyball, along with a runner-up finish in men's cross country, have pushed the Seasiders into first place in the 2008-09 chase with a 30-point total.

The PacWest currently sponsors 11 conference sports with 10 counting toward the commissioner's cup. Baseball is not included.

Schools are awarded points based upon their order of finish in the sports of men's and women's basketball, men's and women's soccer, softball and volleyball, while a championship competition is held in men's and women's cross country, women's tennis and men's golf to determine final league standings.

Teams receive points based upon that finish, with the conference champion earning seven, the runner-up getting six, the third-place team grabbing five, and the fourth-place squad claiming four.

Teams finishing fifth, sixth or seventh receive three, two and one point, respectively.

When teams are tied, the points awarded to those positions are added together then distributed evenly among the schools.

Hawai‘i Pacific is currently ranked second in the standings with 25.5 points, just 4.5 behind BYU-Hawaii. The Sea Warriors claimed the PacWest title in men's cross country and finished second in both women's cross country and men's soccer.

Reigning champion Hawai‘i Hilo is third with 25 points, only 0.5 behind HPU, while fourth place belongs to Dixie State with 19.5. Hawaii Hilo's top finish was a second-place standing in volleyball. Dixie State took second in women's soccer.

Notre Dame de Namur is in fifth with 19 points, thanks to a men's soccer title, while Grand Canyon is sixth with 14 and Chaminade in seventh with seven team points.

Of the 10 PacWest sports in the Commissioner's Cup standings, five already have been completed in 2008-09.

The winter season will crown champions in men's and women's basketball, while women's tennis, men's golf and softball will battle for league titles in the spring.