A year ago, the PacWest championship women's volleyball team - University of Hawaii at Hilo - went undefeated in conference play. That's 14 wins against 0 losses - an amazing feat. The Vulcans also won 20 of their last 21 matches.
But they didn't receive a bid to the NCAA Regionals.
Shocking? Yes
Also last year, the PacWest championship softball team - Hawaii Pacific University - had the best record in the entire nation. They won 49 games against just 5 losses, including a 1-run loss to the eventual national champion.
But they also didn't receive a bid to the NCAA Regionals.
The good news is that scenarios like these won't happen again. That's because the NCAA President's Council voted this past summer to extend Automatic Qualifier status to the Pacific West Conference. That "AQ" means our PacWest team champions will automatically receive a berth in the NCAA Regionals in the follow sports - women's volleyball, women's soccer, men's and women's basketball, softball, women's tennis, and men's golf. (Men's soccer and baseball still have to earn at-large bids due to the number of teams participating.)
So, hail to the PacWest champions! And good luck to our teams continuing to battle for at-large spots. Best wishes to all the PacWest teams in future NCAA tournaments!
The following are dates for NCAA regional competition. Our conference championships are scheduled for late October in Turtle Bay, Hawaii for men's and women's cross country, Kona on the Big Island in April for the women's tennis championships, and Shoddy Ranch, California for the men's golf championships also in April.
NCAA REGIONAL DATES:
MEN'S SOCCER - NOV 13-14, 2008
MEN'S CROSS COUNTRY - NOV 8, 2008
MEN'S BASKETBALL - MAR 14-17, 2009
MEN'S GOLF - MAY 4-6, 2009
BASEBALL - MAY 14-17, 2009
WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL - NOV 20-23, 2008
WOMEN'S SOCCER - NOV 14-16/NOV 21-23 2008
WOMEN'S CROSS COUNTRY - NOV 8, 2008
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL - MAR 13-16, 2009
SOFTBALL - MAY 9-10, 2009
WOMEN'S TENNIS - MAY 7-9, 2009
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