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The Honolulu Advertiser

Posted at 11:26 a.m., Monday, October 13, 2003

Six UH athletes get WAC honors

Advertiser Staff

Six University of Hawai'i athletes were tabbed for weekly honors by the Western Athletic Conference today.

They are:

• Quarterback Tim Chang, a fourth-year junior from Saint Louis School, completed 40 of 60 passes for 353 yards and five touchdowns in a 55-28 victory over Fresno State Saturday night and was named WAC Football Offensive Player of the Week. Chang joined a select group of Division I-A players to amass 10,000 passing yards in career.

• Outside hitter Lily Kahumoku was named the WAC Volleyball Player of the Week. Kahumoku, a senior, hit 47.9 percent for the week while leading UH past Boise State and Texas-El Paso in road matches last week. In the process, she averaged 4.83 kills, 3.33 digs and 1.3 blocks per game. It is the fourth time in her career that Kahumoku has been conference player of the week.

• Sophomore Natasha Kai was named co-WAC Women’s Soccer Offensive Player of the Week and junior Krystalynn Ontai was the Defensive Player of the Week.

Kai, a sophomore from Kahuku, shared the honor with SMU’s Kim Harvey. Kai tallied 10 points, including all five goals in Hawai'i’s victories over Nevada (4-1) and Boise State (1-0).

Ontai, a junior from Mililani, limited Nevada to three shots and held Boise State to five.

• Freshman Dana Buchanan was named WAC Women’s Cross Country Athlete of the Week after her 16th place finish to lead the Rainbow Wahine in the Arizona State Invitiational, finishing in 18 minutes, 54 seconds in the 5-kilometer event.

• Swimmer Yan Chen was chosen WAC Swimming and Diving Athlete of the Week. Chen, a junior from Da Lian, China, reached the NCAA provisional qualifying mark in the 200 individual medley in 2 minutes, 2.75 seconds at the Hawai'i Senior Meet. She also was the top finisher in the 200 freestyle at 1:53.60.

"It’s a team effort," Chang said of his award. "All of my teammates, especially the O-line, have done such a great job. Our receivers did a great job of catching the ball and getting open. (The WAC) honored me for what my teammates did."

The accomplishments, he said, "haven’t really hit me. Sometimes I take for granted the privilege that we have. Talking to a lot of old-timers, they really miss the game. A lot of people say they would do anything to strap it up one more time. I’m going to enjoy what I have right now."

Kahumoku, a two-time All-American, hiked her season average to 4.51 kills and 3.19 digs per game. She is hitting at a .311 percentage.