BYU-Hawaii claims 2008-09 PacWest Commisioner's Cup

Final Standings

HONOLULU, HI - BYU-Hawaii won half of the Pacific West Conference championships during the 2008-09 athletic season to claim the PacWest Commissioner's Cup.

The honor was announced on Sunday, May 17, by PacWest Commissioner Bob Hogue from the league's headquarters in Hawai‘i.

The PacWest Commissioner's Cup is sponsored by Trophy House of Honolulu.

The Seasider athletic program claimed an unprecedented five PacWest Championships this year out of the 10 that were contested by all seven conference schools.

BYU-Hawaii earned PacWest titles in men's basketball, women's soccer, women's cross country, women's tennis and women's volleyball, while the Seasiders finished second in men's cross country.

Started in 2007-08, the PacWest Commissioner's Cup is the all-sport championship that recognizes the top athletic program in the Pacific West Conference each year.

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

BYU-Hawaii took second place last year with 48 team points, but this the Seasiders set the conference standard for accumulated points with 52.5 in 2008-09.

BYU-Hawaii was one of three PacWest programs to rise in this year's standings. Hawai‘i Pacific saw its point total spike from 38.5 in 2007-08 to 48.5 this year.

The Sea Warriors finished second overall in the standings thanks to PacWest Championships in men's cross country and softball, and second-place finishes in women's tennis, men's soccer and women's cross country.

Dixie State College placed fourth in the standings, a jump from sixth last year. The Red Storm athletic program finished second in four sports to bolster its point total - men's and women's basketball, softball and women's soccer.

The Red Storm also won the inaugural conference title in baseball that featured four PacWest schools sponsoring the sport.

Hawai‘i Hilo wound up third in this year's standings with 47.5 points. The Vulcans finished second in golf and volleyball.

Grand Canyon remained in fifth place in the Commissioner's Cup standings, but actually saw its point total rise. The Antelopes improved from 37.5 to 39 points after winning conference titles in women's hoops and golf.

Notre Dame de Namur finished sixth in the standings, while Chaminade ended up seventh. NDNU claimed the men's soccer crown last fall.

The PacWest currently sponsors 11 conference sports with 10 counting toward the Commissioner's Cup. Starting in 2009-10, the point structure will be modified to accommodate the addition of Academy of Art University and Dominican University of California, as well as the addition of baseball which began playing a league schedule this year.

The current system awards points based upon the regular-season 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.