Hawai‘i Pacific claims second straight Commissioner’s Cup

PHOENIX, AZ – For the second straight year, Hawai‘i Pacific has clinched the Pacific West Conference’s Commissioner’s Cup.

The Sea Warrior athletic program secured the title on Saturday, April 30, by earning a share of the PacWest Softball Championship after sweeping Hawai‘i Hilo, and securing a second-place finish in baseball following its sweep of Academy of Art.

With softball games featuring Academy of Art vs. Grand Canyon and Hawai‘i Hilo vs. Chaminade scheduled for May 1, and baseball games remaining for Academy of Art vs. HPU on May 1 and at Hawai‘i Hilo on May 3 and 4, the 2010-11 final standings will not be known until later this week.

However, HPU mathematically positioned itself for the Commissioner’s Cup crown by posting an average finish of nearly third place in each of its 11 sports. The Sea Warriors have totaled 75 points and boast an average finish of 6.8182 meaning no other PacWest athletic program can best their mark.

Hawai‘i Pacific earned a share of just one conference title this season after tying Dixie State for the softball championship.

But the Sea Warriors stockpiled the Commissioner Cup points by taking second in women’s tennis, men’s soccer, baseball and women’s cross country. HPU also placed third in volleyball, women’s basketball, and men’s cross country, and tied for third in women’s soccer, while none of its athletic programs finished below sixth place.

This marks the fourth year of the Commissioner’s Cup program. In 2009-10, HPU became the third different winner of the cup, while Hawai‘i Hilo claimed the inaugural trophy in 2007-08 and BYU-Hawaii earned the title in 2008-09.