BYU-Hawai'i volleyball closing in on No. 1

By Brandon Masuoka
Advertiser Staff Writer

The Brigham Young-Hawai'i women's volleyball team moved within 13 points of top-ranked UC San Diego in the American Volleyball Coaches Association Top 25 poll released yesterday.

The second-ranked Seasiders have clinched the Pacific West Conference title and automatic berth in the NCAA II Pacific Region tournament.

BYUH, the defending Division II national champion, has one match remaining in the regular season against 19th-ranked Hawai'i Pacific at St. Andrew's Priory Friday.

Last week, the Seasiders were tied with Cal State-San Bernardino for the second spot and trailed UCSD by 47 points. The Seasiders currently have 822 points; UC San Diego has 835.

• Hilo baseball names assistant: Brendan Sagara has joined Hawai'i-Hilo as an assistant baseball coach/assistant sports information director.

Sagara became the first former Vulcan to coach at the professional level in 2001 when he joined the Dubois County (Ind.) Dragons as pitching coach. In 2002, he was selected as a coach for the Frontier League All-Star game.

This past season, Sagara served as hitting coach for the Kenosha (Wis.) Mammoths of the independent Frontier League.

Sagara broke into the professional ranks as a pitcher for the Evansville (Ind.) Otters of the Frontier League in 1999.

Sagara played at UH-Hilo from 1992-96. He was UH-Hilo's Male Athlete of the Year and team MVP in 1995-96.

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