It’s been a long title drought for Hawaii’s non-Division I volleyball programs. What seemed to be an annual occurrence — a combined 14 NAIA championships in 17 years, four in five years at the NCAA Division II level — has not happened since Brigham Young-Hawaii won its 10th in 2002.

Both BYUH and Hawaii-Hilo seek to remedy that this week when they compete in the West Regional, hosted for the sixth consecutive year by top-ranked Cal State San Bernardino (27-0). The Seasiders (18-3) are seeded fourth and will face Seattle Pacific (21-6), while the sixth-seeded Vulcans (15-6) take on Sonoma State (21-6) in Thursday’s quarterfinals.

The regional is stacked with three conference champions: CSUSB (California Collegiate Athletic Association), BYUH (PacWest) and Seattle Pacific (Great Northwest Athletic Conference). In what has become a strictly regional bracket, the CCAA also has the second seed in UC San Diego (21-5) and third seed in Sonoma State, while Grand Canyon (22-6), the PacWest runner-up, is the seventh seed and GNAC runner-up Alaska Anchorage (18-8) the eighth seed.

“I think the only criticism I have (of the bracket) is that you have three conference champions in the same regional),” BYUH coach Wilfred Navalta said. “I’ve suggested to the (selection) committee that since we have eight conference champions, you should seed them in the eight regionals. They haven’t.

“You want the best teams getting out (of the regional), but it hasn’t happened. In 1999, after we got out of the region, it was almost a cakewalk. But as they say, you’ll have to play the best teams sooner or later. There’s a lot in our region.”

Should the Seasiders win Thursday, they’ll likely see the host Coyotes on Friday in a rematch of last year’s quarterfinal won by CSUSB in three.

“We a very different team than last year,” said Navalta, whose team has won 15 straight. “But we’re young, so this will be a new experience for a lot of the players. Still, I like our team and think we are tough to beat.”

The Seasiders haven’t lost since mid-September, falling on the road to two Division I teams (Utah Valley and Brigham Young) and then the PacWest opener at Hawaii Pacific. BYUH has three starters from Taiwan in key positions: freshman setter Ying Chun Chen, freshman outside hitter Shih Ting Chen and sophomore middle Erh Fang Hsu.

The biggest change from last season, however, is at libero. After freshman Ho’onani Apo went down with a torn ACL in the preseason, Navalta experimented before settling on senior Losaline Faka’osi Pula, who had played left-side hitter the past three seasons.

“She has settled our passing down, given us quality first contacts on the ball,” Navalta said of the 2008 PacWest Freshman of the Year. “She may be the best libero we’ve ever had.”

Hawaii-Hilo coach Tino Reyes, whose team did not get an at-large bid last season despite being PacWest co-champions (BYUH earned the automatic bid on a tiebreaker), is just happy to be in the regional.

“We were probably a better team last year, but at least we are going,” Reyes said. “I like our draw. All three of the conference champions are on the other side (of the bracket) and only one will get to the final.”

The Vulcans, winners of four straight, last won a national title in 1988 at the NAIA level. It was the last of seven championships for Hall of Fame coach Sharon Peterson, who also won four straight from 1981 to 1984, as well as the AIAW D-II titles in 1979 and 1981.

HONOR ROLL

BASKETBALL

Women’s honor roll
» Natalie Mata, UHH: The junior guard out of Farrington had 12 points and five rebounds in the Sea Warriors’ loss to Hawaii.

VOLLEYBALL

Honor roll
» Ying Chun Chen, BYUH: The freshman setter had 64 assists as the PacWest champions finished out the regular season with sweeps of Chaminade and Hawaii Pacific.
» Lauren Hagemeyer, BYUH: The junior hitter had a combined 23 kills and seven blocks, hitting .444 in a 2-0 week for the Seasiders.
» Hillary Hurley, UHH: The senior middle hit 417 with 13 kills and four blocks in a sweep of Chaminade.
» Leinani Keanini, AAU: The senior hitter out of ‘Iolani had 21 kills, 29 digs and an ace in her final match for the Urban Knights, a 3-1 win over NDNU.