UH asked to play tournament host

By Stephen Tsai
Advertiser Staff Writer

The University of Hawai'i has been asked to serve as host for the next three Mountain Pacific Sports Federation men's volleyball tournaments.

In a unanimous vote, the MPSF men's volleyball committee yesterday decided the postseason tournament, which offers the winner the conference's automatic berth in the NCAA final four, should be played in Hawai'i for at least three consecutive years beginning in April 2002.

"It's a significant honor," UH coach Mike Wilton said.

UH officials need to secure sponsorships to finalize the deal, but Wilton does not anticipate any problems. Wilton will discuss the proposal with UH athletic director Hugh Yoshida this week.

UH already successfully runs the Outrigger Hotels Invitational, a four-team, in-season tournament. The visiting teams in that tournament receive free lodging and money to cover airfare. "Teams only have to pay for ground transportation and meals," Wilton said.

Wilton said if a partnership could be reached with KFVE, which owns the television rights to UH sports, the MPSF tournament also could be profitable. The host team receives 15 percent of the gross.

UH's home quarterfinal match against Southern California two weeks ago drew more than 5,500 to the Stan Sheriff Center. At Brigham Young's Smith Fieldhouse, the semifinals drew about 1,500 and the championship match less than 500. UH led the NCAA in men's volleyball attendance this year.

In the current format, eight of the 12 teams qualify for the MPSF tournament, with each opening-round match played at the site of the higher seed. Both the semifinals and championship match are played at the site of the highest remaining seed.

But MPSF officials, concerned about travel arrangements, voted to have a predetermined site for the tournament. After losing to UH on a Saturday night, USC had to wait until Wednesday for a flight out of Honolulu. If USC had won that quarterfinal match against UH, it would have had little acclimation time for the Thursday semifinals in Utah.

"That was a real important issue," Wilton said.

As an incentive to serve as host, the MPSF promised to guarantee UH one of the top four seeds if it qualifies for the tournament.