The University of Hawaii had to scale back its plans for sand volleyball practice courts on campus when the project unearthed pipes that nobody could account for, a Board of Regents committee was told Wednesday.

"We were delayed almost six weeks trying to figure out what those pipes were," Athletic Director Ben Jay told the Committee on Intercollegiate Athletics.

"We got to the point where I said, ‘I can’t delay this project anymore,’ and since we don’t want to build over them and I didn’t want to go through the cost of moving them, we decided to build the two (courts) and not three," Jay said.

Jay cited it as an example of wasted time and money and lack of communication and planning when it comes to some UH facilities.

The incident came to light during discussion of the long-delayed Clarence T.C. Ching Athletic Complex, which may not fully open until "mid-May," Jay told the regents.

Jay said contractors have finished the key first-floor offices and locker rooms in the $13.39 million Ching facility, which should satisfy an NCAA committee that had threatened sanctions of UH if the Jan. 28 deadline wasn’t met. Jay said he is scheduled for a conference call with the NCAA next week.