The third-ranked Brigham Young-Hawaii and No. 5 Hawaii Pacific women’s teams and HPU’s second-ranked men’s team begin competition in the NCAA Division II National Tennis Championships on Wednesday at Altamonte Springs, Fla.
In the women’s Round of 16, the Seasiders (19-0) face the Saint Leo (Fla.) Lions (20-5). The Sea Warriors (18-6) take on the No. 16 Midwestern State Mustangs (19-3) from Wichita Falls, Texas, a team they beat 6-3 on March 18 in Las Vegas.
BYUH and HPU are on opposite sides of the bracket and could meet in Friday’s semifinals. The Seasiders are 2-0 against the Sea Warriors this season.
The HPU men (20-0) are seeded second and face the No. 6 Columbus (Ga.) State Cougars (19-4). The Sea Warriors’ closest match this season was a 5-4 win over then-No. 1 Barry, the defending national champion, in a March 22 match on the Bucs’ home courts in Miami Shores, Fla.
Among HPU’s ranked players is senior Petr Michnev, the PacWest tournament MVP who is No. 2 nationally in singles (15-1). He and sophomore Thibaud Berland are the No. 1 doubles team at 17-2.
Hawaii Pacific and BYUH earn regional awards
Hawaii Pacific and Brigham Young-Hawaii earned a combined seven regional awards from the Intercollegiate Tennis Association, with the Sea Warriors men taking four out of a possible six in the West Region.
HPU’s Joan Costa was named the assistant coach of the year. HPU has gone 39-4 in the two seasons since the Spanish national’s arrival.
Petr Michnev, ranked No. 1 in doubles (17-2) and No. 2 in singles(15-1) nationally, was named senior player of the year.
Sophomore Thibaud Berland, ranked No. 1 in doubles with Michnev, was selected rookie player of the year. He is No. 35 in singles (13-4).
Sophomore Jaume Martinez-Vich was named the player to watch. He is ranked No. 15 in both singles (15-3) and doubles (20-0) with partner Mattis Wetzel.
In the women’s West Region awards, HPU’s Pierre Tafelski matched Costa as the assistant coach of year. The Sea Warriors are 39-9 in the two seasons since the French national joined the program.
The player to watch award went to HPU sophomore Lorena Gheorghe, who is 17-4 in singles and 16-5 in doubles.
Undefeated Brigham Young-Hawaii had one regional award in freshman Min "Karen" Liu, the rookie player of the year, who is 10-0 in singles.
SOFTBALL
Vulcans outfielder Lee named to West Region first team
Hawaii Hilo senior outfielder Rebecca Lee was named to the Daktronics/Co-SIDA West Region first team on Monday.
Last week, the Mililani High product repeated as the PacWest’s top player. She led the conference in hitting (.504), doubles (18), slugging percentage (.868), on-base percentage (.585) and steals (20). She also was fourth in home runs (9), fifth in RBIs (48), sixth in runs (51) and seventh in hits (65).
Lee now is eligible for All-America honors.
SIGNINGS
Sea Warriors sign 2 players in women’s basketball
Two former NCAA Division I players are transferring from Eastern Washington to play their senior seasons for the Hawaii Pacific women’s basketball team.
Signing with the Sea Warriors are Chenise Peone, a 5-foot-9 guard from Inchelium (Wash.) High, and Kylie Huerta, a 5-1 guard from Kentwood (Wash.) High.
The two are former EWU teammates of current HPU junior center Morganne Comstock.
Guard signs with UHH men’s basketball team
High-scoring point guard Vandyon Lockett, a two-time All-NWAAC defensive team selection, has signed to play for the Hawaii Hilo men’s basketball team.
A transfer from Centralia (Wash.) College, the 5-foot-10 Lockett averaged 17.65 points, 4.55 assists and 2.77 steals last season for the Trailblazers.
HPU men’s basketball team adds two California players
Two freshmen from California have signed to play basketball for Hawaii Pacific.
Joining the Sea Warriors are 6-foot-8 forward Ethan Eads from Central Catholic in Modesto, Calif., and Darnell Bettis, a 6-1 guard from University High in Los Angeles.
Eads averaged 6.8 points and 8.5 rebounds as a senior for the 27-7 Raiders. Bettis averaged 14.5 points and 6.1 assists for the 19-12 Wildcats last season.
Chaminade adds 3 to women’s soccer team
Three Maui High all-league selections have signed to play soccer for Chaminade next season.
Joining the Silverswords in the fall will be Kaylie-Renne Cortez, Mary-Lynn Johannes and Tiana Lucas. Cortez was second in assists for the Sabers last season; Johannes led the team in scoring for two seasons; and Lucas, a two-time captain, led Maui in scoring last season.
Trio join Hawaii Pacific’s women’s volleyball team
Kayla Kilaulani, Cheyenne Rankin and Brooke Garlick have signed to play volleyball for Hawaii Pacific this fall.
Kilaulani, a 5-8 defensive specialist out of Leilehua High, was a three-time OIA first-team selection. Rankin, a 5-10 right-side hitter, is from Huntington Beach (Calif.) High and a three-time all-conference pick.
Garlick is a 6-1 outside hitter who led Coronado High to the Nevada Division I state championship as a senior. She was named the MVP of the state tournament.
