VOLLEYBALL

Seasiders to host Division II regional

Fifth-ranked Brigham Young-Hawaii opens the NCAA Division II women’s volleyball tournament this week as host for the West Regional.

The Seasiders (21-3) are the top seed in the three-day event, which begins Thursday at Cannon Activities Center. BYUH opens play with eighth-seeded UC San Diego (20-10) in the 7:30 p.m. quarterfinal Thursday.

The rest of the bracket has Cal State San Bernardino (22-8) vs. Central Washington (21-7) at noon; Grand Canyon (23-5), seeded second, against San Francisco State (21-8) at 2:30 p.m.; and Western Washington (23-3) facing Sonoma State (22-8) at 5 p.m..

Thursday’s winners advance to Friday’s semifinals with the championship on Saturday at 7 p.m. Saturday’s regional winner advances to the elite eight in Pensacola, Fla., Dec.6-8.

PacWest honors for Navalta, Chen, Morgan

Brigham Young-Hawaii women’s volleyball coach Wilfred Navalta was named the Pacific West Conference coach of the year, Seasiders hitter Stella Chen player of the year and Hawaii-Hilo’s Bria Morgan freshman of the year, the conference announced Monday.

Navalta, named the West Region coach of the year last week, led the Seasiders to an undefeated conference season (16-0). In his 37 years, he has won 10 national championships — eight NAIA and two at the NCAA D-II level.

Chen, a senior hitter, was also named to the all-region team along with teammates Lauren Hagemeyer, a senior hitter, and sophomore setter Michelle Chen.

Stella Chen leads the team in kills and is 11th nationally (4.36 kps). Hagemeyer is averaging 3.36 kps and is 17th nationally in kill percentage (.372). Michelle Chen is sixth nationally in assists per set (11.9) and has the Seasiders hitting a national-best .34

Morgan, a 5-foot-11 hitter, led the conference in kill average (5.16 kps) and points (5.60 pps). She had 19 aces and was in on 13.5 blocks.

Both Chens and Hagemeyer were named to the All-PacWest first team. Named to the second team were Morgan and BYUH junior libero Melanie Manutai, a Moanalua graduate.

Fresno Pacific’s Mackenzie Phelps of Grand Canyon was named conference libero of the year and Fresno Pacific junior middle Kathleen Anderson the newcomer of the year.

Vulcans sign 3 for next season

Three outside hitters have signed letters of intent to play for Hawaii-Hilo next season, including Ka‘u High’s Marley Nicolaisen-Strand, an all-tournament selection at the state championship.

Also signing with the Vulcans were Allee Johnson of Centerville (Ohio) High and Bella Vista (Calif.) High’s Jill McGuire. All three are listed at 5 feet 10.

BASKETBALL

Brigham Young-Hawaii signs guard

Justin Yamzon, a 5-foot-7 guard from Henderson, Nev., has signed to play for Brigham Young-Hawaii in 2013.

As a junior at Lake Mead Christian Academy, he was the Southern Nevada 2A player of the year, averaging a state-best 30.3 points. He led the state in 3-pointers (137) and free-throw percentage at 85.1 (166-for-195).

Weekly honors for Chaminade’s Haskins

Chaminade senior forward De’Andre Haskins was named the PacWest’s player of the week in men’s basketball Monday after leading the Silverswords to a fourth-place finish in last week’s EA Sports Maui Invitational.

He scored 32 points in the Silverswords’ 86-73 upset of Texas and averaged 24.3 points and 6.7 rebounds in the three contests against Division I teams Texas, Illinois and North Carolina. He had 10 3-pointers during the tournament and was 17-for-18 from the free-throw line.

Hawaii-Hilo women’s team signs guard

Alexa Jacobs, a three-time all-state selection at Mountain Ridge (Ariz.) High, has signed to play for Hawaii-Hilo. During her junior season she averaged 18 points, seven assists and six steals per game.

Men’s honor roll

>> Junior Ale, BYUH: The senior guard out of Kahuku averaged 19.5 points and was 10-for-11 from the free-throw line in helping the Seasiders go 2-0 on the week.

>> B.J. Ford, BYUH: The freshman guard scored 28 points, hit six of eight from 3-point range and 9-for-11 from the free-throw line as the Seasiders went 2-0.

>> Bracken Funk, BYUH: The junior forward was 10-for-17 from the field en route to 24 points and grabbed 18 rebounds in two wins for the Seasiders.

Women’s honor roll

>> Danna Lynn Hooper, BYUH: The junior guard out of Molokai averaged 15.5 points as the Seasiders went 1-2.

>> Mikela Thoemmes, HPU: the junior forward out of Roosevelt High scored 28 points and had 24 rebounds on a 2-1 week for the Sea Warriors.

>> Susannah Walmsey, HPU: The senior guard led the Sea Warriors to a 2-1 record with 59 points and 22 rebounds.

>> Shayla Washington, BYUH: The senior forward led the conference in scoring with 67 points, including a 36-point performance against Oakland City (Ind.), and added 34 rebounds in a 1-2 week for the Seasiders.