UH cheerleaders finish seventh

The University of Hawaii cheerleaders placed seventh at the Universal Cheerleaders Association Collegiate National Championships on Sunday in Orlando.

That’s one spot higher than last year’s eighth-place finish.

"We are very excited about improving our ranking a notch from last year," said UH coach Mike Baker. "The team was asked to make major changes to the routine all the way up until the time they hit the floor. … The team handled the changes with grace and determination and pulled even closer during the process."

Alabama won the competition, followed by Kentucky and Central Florida.

Murphy is new director at Makena

Timothy E. Murphy is the new director of golf at Makena Golf Course.

He was previously the general manager at Koolau Golf Club, director of golf at Kaanapali Golf Resort and head golf pro at Waikoloa Beach Resort.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

Akina returns to coach Arizona

Duane Akina, a former Punahou athlete and University of Hawaii coach, has left Texas to coach at the University of Arizona for the second time.

Akina, who coached at UH in the 1980s, was an assistant at Arizona under Dick Tomey for 14 years, serving as a defensive backs coach and co-defensive coordinator.

Akina, who was a co-defensive coordinator and a defensive backs coach at Texas, is being replaced at Texas by former Longhorns star Jerry Gray, who spent 23 years in the NFL as a player and a coach.