Chaminade out of Maui Invitational in 2018, beyond
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Chaminade’s DeAndre Haskins, center, celebrates with teammates after their 86-73 win over Texas in an NCAA college basketball game, Monday, Nov. 19, 2012, in Lahaina, Hawaii.
Chaminade University, the longtime host school of the Maui Invitational basketball tournament, will no longer be an annual participant at the Lahaina Civic Center beginning in 2018.
The Division II Silverswords will play in the storied eight-team event only in alternating years — 2019, 2021, and on — breaking with tradition that dates back to the 1980s.
In a news release, the tournament touted the 2018 eight-team field as the strongest in the event’s 35-year history.
The teams coming that year are Arizona, Auburn, Duke, Gonzaga, Illinois, Iowa State, San Diego State and Xavier.
In seasons Chaminade is not a Maui participant, it will play in “opening round” games on the mainland instead. In recent years, small-conference Division I teams have matched up with Maui participants in such mainland tune-up games before the main event. But even if one of the underdog teams were to spring an upset, they would not advance to the ESPN-televised “championship” round in Lahaina.
“This new arrangement expands the reach of Chaminade University, the men’s basketball team and our student-athletes,” said Chaminade president Brother Bernard Ploeger in the release. “Our players will have increased exposure competing on the mainland in some of college basketball’s largest arenas and our coaching staff will have an opportunity to extend their recruiting presence, thus amplifying the visibility of the University and our brand.”
The Silverswords’ upset of top-ranked Virginia in 1982 spurred the creation of what is now the Maui Jim Maui Invitational. The Silverswords upset a handful of teams in the years since, most recently Texas in 2012.
11 responses to “Chaminade out of Maui Invitational in 2018, beyond”
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Chaminade is a well-run small university. They do fine work.
Nothing negative to say? Amazing!
I am objective..when there is nothing negative to report, I am positive! And Brother Bernie Ploeger is the best university president in Hawaii. By far. Interestingly, a Marianist, his salary is tiny and he lives in a small dorm room. He is a model of smarts and dignity.
Bad move. Somehow I get the feeling we are not getting the whole story. The Maui Invitational is the hilight of the Chaminade program every year. Oh well.
Yeah, it sounds like Chaminade is getting pushed out of it’s own tourney.
No they are getting some money for their troubles.
…..and BYU-Hawaii in Laie is folding their whole sports program come March 2017 and use that $ to bring 500 more international students, house them in the remodeled 3 storied dorms and get them in and out of school in 3 years…….if they go home after they graduate and stay home for two years, 50% of all their school fees/bills are forgiven.
what a sweet deal!!!!!!
If this is the program, then it is outstanding work!
agree..BYU is doing the right thing: putting students and academics first. Universities do not belong in the sports entertainment biz.
At this point, I wonder how much control Chaminade has over their own tournament. It seems they don’t really have much control any more. “Expands the reach of Chaminade”..? They weren’t getting much notice by playing in their own tournament?
What happened? They used to play this at the NBC or HIC back then. Somebody went and mooched the tournament.
When will Chaminade have a Baseball team again?