Wilton likes new conference format

By Stephen Tsai
Advertiser Staff Writer

The University of Hawai'i men's volleyball team will play the majority of its conference matches on the road next season, according to the 2002 schedule released yesterday.

Of the 22 Mountain Pacific Sports Federation matches, 12 will be on the Mainland, including two trips in which the Warriors will play four matches in five days.

But UH coach Mike Wilton said he was satisfied with the schedule, which will not include any exhibition matches. Last season, UH played six exhibitions matches and five matches that did not count in the MPSF standings.

The number of conference matches will increase, by five, to 22 next year because of the new MPSF format. Instead of two six-team divisions, in which a team plays 12 interdivision matches and five against divisional opponents, there will be one 12-team league playing a double round robin.

Wilton said the new format will be an efficient means of ranking conference teams. Last year, UH, UCLA and Long Beach State had identical conference records, but UH received the lowest seed for the conference playoffs even though the three teams did not play an equal number of matches among each other.

The double round robin, Wilton said, is a "more clear-cut and fair way to break a tie."

UH will open with two home matches against Loyola-Chicago, then serve as host to the three-night Outrigger Hotels Invitational featuring Penn State, Lewis and UCLA.

This November, the Warriors will play two off-season exhibition matches at Penn State's "Happy Valley," site of the 2002 NCAA final four.

"I wanted to give this team an opportunity to experience Happy Valley," Wilton said. "I want to go back there in May."

2002 Schedule — Jan. 7-8: Loyola-Chicago. 17-19: Outrigger Hotels Invitational (Penn State, Lewis, UCLA). 29-30: At Stanford. Feb. 1-2: At Pacific. 8-9: UC San Diego. 20-22: Long Beach State. March 1-2: At Southern California. 12-13: At UC Santa Barbara. 15-16: At Cal State Northridge. 22-23: At Pepperdine. 29-30: UC Irvine. April 5-6: UCLA. 12-13: Brigham Young. 20: MPSF Tournament opening round. 24: MPSF quarterfinals. 25: MPSF semifinals. 27: MPSF championship. May 2: NCAA semifinals. 4: NCAA championship.