HPU men's tennis team used ineligible players

Advertiser Staff

The top-ranked Hawai'i Pacific men's tennis team used two ineligible players and has withdrawn from NCAA postseason play, HPU president Chatt G. Wright announced today.

The Sea Warriors will also forfeit all matches in which the ineligible players participated, and have notified the NCAA of its self-imposed sanctions, Wright said.

The amateur status of the players was nullified due to their participation in tennis tournaments before they enrolled at HPU, the school said. The names of the the two players were not released.

HPU (21-0) was scheduled to host the NCAA Division II West Regional Men's Tennis tournament on May 7-9.

The Sea Warriors were considered a favorite to win its first NCAA men's tennis championship this season. The men's team had finished runner-up three times in the past four years — including twice in 2002 and 2003 to champion BYUH — at the NCAA Division II National Championships.

This month, the HPU men's team won the Pacific West Conference championship. The Sea Warriors also defeated the top-ranked NAIA team in Azusa Pacific, and also upset Division I Hawai'i this month.

This is the second time in five months a high-profile Division II program has suffered sanctions for using an ineligible player.

In November, the defending NCAA Division II national champion Brigham Young-Hawai'i women's volleyball team announced it used an ineligible player in 14 matches. The school forfeited its PacWest championship and the automatic NCAA tournament berth.