UH-West Oahu to pursue Division II status

The University of Hawaii’s West Oahu campus will look into starting an NCAA Division II athletic program, Chancellor Rockne Freitas said today.

Freitas, who took over May 1st, said he intends to send letters of interest to the NCAA and PacWest Conference as soon as next week.

He said there is generally a three-year process toward Division II membership, and West Oahu would hope to compete with UH-Hilo, Chaminade and Brigham Young-Hawaii, who currently compete on the Division II level in the PacWest.

Freitas said he hoped the program would eventually "mirror that of UH-Hilo in regard to sports offered" and reflect the interests "of the communities we serve."

West Oahu’s nickname is the Pueo, which is the Hawaiian Short-Eared Owl.