UH-Hilo Sits Tenth in PacWest Commissioner’s Cup

The University of Hawai`i at Hilo has a large gap to fill if it wants to win its second PacWest Conference Commissioner’s Cup.

The Vulcans currently sit in tenth place after the winter sports schedule, according to Friday’s update from the conference. California Baptist University is the current leader over Azusa Pacific University.

UH-Hilo won the inaugural Commissioner’s Cup, which was founded by current conference head Bob Hogue, during the 2007-2008 athletic year. The Division II conference award stayed in the islands for the next three years as Brigham Young University-Hawai`i and Hawai`i Pacific University won the titles.

Cal Baptist was the first school outside of Hawai`i to win the Commissioner’s Cup in 2011-2012. Grand Canyon University, now an NCAA Division I school in the Western Athletic Conference, won last year’s award.

The Lancers hold its slight edge over Azusa Pacific this year based on top finishes in men’s cross country and men’s basketball, earning 15 points each. Another 13 was awarded for a runner-up finish in women’s soccer.

Azusa Pacific, meanwhile, earned 15 points for first place finishes in women’s cross country and women’s soccer, while finishing in second place in men’s soccer and women’s basketball.

Cal Baptist’s lead is not safe. Of the six sports remaining in the spring schedule, the Lancers do not field two of them, men’s and women’s tennis. That leaves the door open for other schools to make a run toward the top of the standings. However, the conference’s awards the title to the top average score, not the top combined score, since 10 of the 13 member institutions do not field a team for every sport.. CBU has a 12.786 average through seven completed events, while Azusa Pacific has a 12.714 average.

UH-Hilo’s top finish was a tie for fourth place in women’s soccer, earning the Vulcans 9.5 points. Women’s basketball and women’s cross country each earned six points for its ninth place finishes. Men’s soccer earned five points after finishing tenth this season, while women’s volleyball gained 4.5 points after tying Chaminade at tenth place in the standings. Men’s basketball rounded out the scoring with just three points following a 4-16 conference record, good for a tie in last place with Academy of Art and Holy Names.

Outside of tennis, other sports remaining in the winter season include baseball, softball, and men’s and women’s golf.

2013-2014 PacWest Commissioner’s Cup Standings (after winter sports)

1. Cal Baptist – 12.786 average (89.5 points)

2. Azusa Pacific – 12.714 (89)

3. BYU-Hawai`i – 10.143 (71)

4. Hawai`i Pacific – 9.857 (69)

5. Point Loma Nazarene – 9.750 (58.5)

6. Fresno Pacific – 9.214 (64.5)

7. Dixie State – 8.714 (61)

8. Academy of Art – 8.000 (56)

9. Dominican – 6.000 (42)

10. Hawai`i-Hilo – 5.667 (34)

11. Notre Dame de Namur – 4.571 (32)

12. Chaminade – 3.500 (24.5)

13. Holy Names – 3.000 (21)