Tennis title moves BYU-Hawaii closer to Commissioner’s Cup

BYU-Hawaii inches closer to Commissioner's Cup

Commissioner's Cup Standings

QUEEN CREEK, AZ - If BYU-Hawaii simply sinks a few timely putts during the 2009 Hawaiian Airlines PacWest Championship, the Seasider athletic program will be hoisting its first Commissioner's Cup next week.

BYU-Hawaii can clinch the all-sport championship trophy on Tuesday, April 21, if its men's golf team does not finish in last place. The two-day tournament begins on April 20.

The Seasiders claimed their unprecedented fifth PacWest Championship this year by winning the conference title in women's tennis on April 11 in Kona, HI. They also claimed the seven Commissioner's Cup point that go along with finishing in first place. BYU-Hawaii now has conference titles in men's basketball, women's soccer, women's cross country and women's volleyball to go along with women's tennis.

The Seasider athletic program officially has 48.5 points with two sports still completing their seasons - softball and men's golf. BYU-Hawaii is locked into sixth place in softball and will officially be assigned the two points at the conclusion of the regular season.

The softball points jump BYU-Hawaii to a total of 50.5, eliminating Hawai‘i Hilo - last year's champion - from a shot at defending its crown. The Vulcans have 37.5 points and can not finish any higher than third in softball. Even with a golf title, the Vulcans could only reach 49.5 points.

As the runner-up in women's tennis, Hawai‘i Pacific scored six Commissioner Cup points to jump back into second place at 38.0 - 0.5 ahead of Hawai‘i Hilo. Following the winter season, the Sea Warriors had fallen into third place behind the Vulcans.

HPU is the only school with an outside chance at wresting the Commissioner's Cup title from BYU-Hawaii. The Sea Warriors would need to win the PacWest Men's Golf Championship, finish in sole possession of first place in softball, and hope the Seasiders wind up last in the golf tournament.

The Sea Warriors and Seasiders could actually end up tied with 51.5 points and share the Commissioner's Cup if HPU wins the golf championship, BYU-Hawaii finishes last on the links, and the Hawaii Pacific softball team finishes tied with Dixie State for the conference crown. That would happen if HPU wins just three of its final four league games, leaving Dixie State and HPU to split 27 points.

HPU already owns a PacWest Championship in the sport of men's cross country. Dixie State is currently ranked fourth in the standings with 33.5 points, just four behind Hawai‘i Hilo and 4.5 in back of HPU. Grand Canyon is fifth with 27 points and NDNU is sixth with a 23.0. The Argos have a PacWest title in men's soccer this year, while Grand Canyon won the conference title in women's hoops. Chaminade is currently seventh with 16.5 points.

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 the final competition of the spring season. BYU-Hawaii took second place last year with 48 team points, but this year's five PacWest crowns have pushed the Seasiders on the verge of a cup.

The PacWest currently sponsors 11 conference sports with 10 counting toward the Commissioner's Cup.

Baseball - with only four conference schools competing - is not included this year but is expected to be counted in the formula next year when the conference expands.

Schools are awarded 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.

Of the 10 PacWest sports in the Commissioner's Cup standings, eight have been completed in 2008-09. Softball and men's golf will conclude in April.