You had the University of Hawai'i women's volleyball team, the feel-good story of the year, taking the nation's most loyal fans along for an incredulous and joyous ride.

You had the UH football team, given up for dead after successive road blowouts, regrouping to win their final three games and qualify for yet another bowl game.

You had UH quarterback Tim Chang, breaking an NCAA career passing record that his coach says will never be broken.

You had UH slotback Chad Owens, bringing fans to their feet whenever he touched the ball.

You had Michelle Wie, the 14-year-old phenom, making history in a men's pro golf event.

You had Andy Irons, showing the world that a Kaua'i guy can be a world surfing champion three times over.

You had the Kamehameha football team, finally breaking through for a title after 28 years.

Yes, 2004 will be a hard year to beat, or even match.

It was also a hard year to select the No. 1 sports story.

But after discussions, debates and voting, The Advertiser's sports staff picked the top sports stories for 2004 as follows:

1. Bryan Clay.

2. UH football.

3. UH women's volleyball.

The staff also voted for Hawai'i's athlete and coach of the year for 2004.

Clay was voted as the top athlete ahead of Owens.

UH women's volleyball coach Dave Shoji was a runaway winner for coach of the year.

The Advertiser also ran online voting. See accompanying lists for the results of the non-scientific survey.

The top three stories could easily be interchangeable — and debatable — depending on your fancy.

But Clay's feat was historic.

1. BRYAN CLAY

Castle alum makes history at Olympics

The Castle High School graduate won a silver medal in the decathlon at the Olympic Games in Athens in August, becoming the first athlete from Hawai'i to win an Olympic medal in track and field.

And he did it against the greatest athletes in the world on the world's biggest stage.

No pressure, right?

Clay pulled off personal bests in the long jump and javelin and amassed a career-best 8,820 points, third highest ever by an American. He finished just 73 points behind gold medalist Roman Sebrle.

The Olympic decathlon champion generally is regarded as the "world's greatest athlete."

The events — 100-meter dash, long jump, shot put, high jump, 400-meter run, 110-meter hurdles, discus, pole vault, javelin and 1,500-meter run — are held over two days.

Clay was in third after the first day, but took second place in the discus and javelin to vault into second.

After the competition, Clay said, "It hasn't sunk in yet. But I'm pumped. ... I think people kind of take me for granted. They don't really take me seriously sometimes, whether that's my personality or my size or whatever. Hopefully, now they'll know I'm for real."

Clay, who is 5 feet 11 and 174 pounds, set the stage for his Olympic pursuit by shocking Tom Pappas, the 6-5, 210-pound favorite, and winning the U.S. Olympic Trials in Sacramento in July.

After clinching the silver, Clay took a victory lap with the Hawaiian flag in tow — a moment that was captured in print.

"Thank you very much for all the support," Clay said upon his return home. "I can't explain to you how much it helps me to know that I've got an entire state of my own back home supporting me while I'm so far away."

Finishing close to Clay were two UH sports.

Warriors, Chang, Owens go out on top

The Warriors took fans on a range of emotions in a roller-coaster season that featured many subplots.

There was disappointment, embarrassment and fan anger following 69-3 and 70-14 road losses on national TV.

That was followed by joy and redemption after successive victories over Big Ten opponents to qualify for the Sheraton Hawai'i Bowl.

In between, there was Chang, chasing and finally breaking Ty Detmer's NCAA career yardage passing record.

Near the end, there was Owens turning everything he touched — short passes, long passes, punt returns — into touchdowns.

The culmination came in a 59-40 victory over Alabama at Birmingham in which Chang and Owens, two fifth-year seniors, went out in style, being named the the Hawai'i Bowl's co-Most Valuable Players.

"It's been a blessing," Owens said of the season. "I can't ask for anything more."

Said Chang: "It's a sad feeling, but inside you feel good for what happened out here, what we accomplished as a team. It's been great. It's been up and down, but when all is said and done, it's been one awesome ride."

"It couldn't have worked out better for those two kids to go out on a night like that," UH head coach June Jones said. "They meant so much to our program, so much to our state. I'm really proud of them. It's going to be hard to get along without them. They're special kids."

3. WAHINE VOLLEYBALL

UH dreamed the impossible dream

In a season beyond reason and belief, the UH women's volleyball team won its first 30 matches and vaulted to No. 1 in the rankings.

Despite losing seven seniors from the previous season, these Rainbow Wahine dared to dream the ultimate dream.

Sure, they came up four victories short, but they mesmerized and galvanized the state with their exhilarating style of play and genuine love for each other.

Led by exquisite sophomore setter Kanoe Kamana'o, the team's lone returning starter, the Rainbow Wahine advanced to a regional semifinal. They lost in five games to host Wisconsin in a battle that UH coach Dave Shoji called "one of the best volleyball matches I've ever been involved with.

"It had every emotion you could ask for from all the players. Wisconsin and Hawai'i players basically just put their hearts on the line. I think it was what college athletics are all about. ... The emotion out there was unbelievable."

Their 30-1 record was the third-best record in UH's storied program.

Shoji called it "a wonderful season" with "the most over-achieving team we've ever had."

"It was just them, just the players that had no quit in them and had a lot of fight," he said. "They just fought to the end and they fought to the end in the last match, too."

4. KAMEHAMEHA

Warriors break through after 28 years

After Kamehameha had won its third consecutive Prep Bowl in 1976, who knew it would take 28 years for the Warriors to win another title?

But the Warriors broke through in rare season in which neither Saint Louis or Kahuku advanced to the championship game.

The Warriors, behind a big-time defensive effort and a dominating offensive line, defeated Leilehua, 28-7, to win its first state or Prep Bowl title since 1976.

"This is great," said Kamehameha senior running back Jayson Rego, who rushed for 212 yards. "I can't describe how I feel right now. It's the greatest feeling in the world. I mean, state champs. I can't believe it right now."

The Warriors also won their first Interscholastic League of Honolulu championship in 18 years, ending Saint Louis' long-running streak.

5. MICHELLE WIE

Phenom setting new standards each year

Sweet-swinging teen golf phenom Michelle Wie continues to set new standards.

At the Sony Open in Hawai'i in January, the 14-year-old became the first female to shoot under par and the first to shoot in the 60s in a PGA Tour event.

Her second-round 2-under 68 gave her a two-round total of 140 (even par). She missed the cut by one, beating 48 men in the field.

But her year was just beginning.

She would make the cut in all seven of her LPGA appearances, finish fourth in an LPGA major event, become the youngest to compete in the Curtis Cup in England, and become the youngest winner of the Laureus World Sports Award for Newcomer of the Year.

An amateur golfer, she turned down more than $250,000 in LPGA earnings she would have won if she were a professional.

World champion surfer Andy Irons (blue shirt) signs a hat as brother and fellow pro surfer Bruce Irons (red shirt, back) does the same. Advertiser library photo •Feb. 14, 2004

Kaua'i surfer wins 3rd world title in a row

Kaua'i is home to the world's best surfer.

Andy Irons won his third consecutive Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) world championship.

He is the only Hawai'i male surfer with more than one world championship. Derek Ho (1993) and Sunny Garcia (2000) are the only other male surfers from Hawai'i with a world title.

"This is beyond any dream," said Irons, who is from Hanalei, Kaua'i. "I never thought I'd get three titles. I was so stoked just getting one, and if my career had ended that day I would have been totally fine with it."

7. UH MEN'S HOOPS

Rainbow Warriors make NIT's elite eight

A great finish to last season and a great start this season highlighted the year in UH men's basketball.

This season, UH got off to its best start in 31 years, winning its first eight games before falling to Fresno State, 79-78.

Last season, Riley Wallace's squad made a magical postseason run in the National Invitation Tournament, advancing to the quarterfinals before losing at Michigan (88-73), which eventually won the NIT.

Along the way, Hawai'i defeated then-No. 25 Utah State at Logan, Utah, and beat Nebraska at home. UH finished the season with a 21-12 record.

8. SOCCER'S BEST YEAR

A breakout year puts Hawai'i on the map

Hawai'i soccer made a name for itself on the national and international scene, with two players making their way on to U.S. National teams, and a youth club team winning Hawai'i's first national championship.

Major League Soccer All-Star Brian Ching made an impact internationally, scoring two goals in three games for the U.S. National team during World Cup qualifications.

He was also named to the RadioShack Best XI team for the top 11 players in MLS, was named the MLS Comeback Player of the Year, played in his first all-star game, scoring a goal, and ended the season as one of two winners of the MLS Golden Boot with 12 goals.

University of Hawai'i forward Natasha Kai was called in to the U.S. Women's Under-21 National Team camp in January, and made subsequent visits with the team to China and Brazil, finally leading the team to a Nordic Cup victory, the U-21's version of the World Cup. She led the team with 12 goals.

The Honolulu Soccer Club Bulls '85 boys team captured Hawai'i's first U.S. Youth Soccer Association national title in July, a youth league widely considered to be the most competitive in the nation that has produced U.S. National team and college players.

9. LEILEHUA FOOTBALL

Mules pull off upset top-ranked Kahuku

Leilehua pulled off perhaps the biggest upset of the prep football season, defeating defending state champion Kahuku, 17-14, in a state football tournament semifinal.

The victory put Leilehua in its first state tournament. It had last won a Prep Bowl in 1984.

Kahuku had entered the game ranked No. 1 in the state and was riding a 10-game winning streak. It had won 24 straight games against Hawai'i opponents.

"It's great to put the school back on the map," said sophomore quarterback Bryant Moniz, who completed 19 of 35 passes for 176 yards and one touchdown. "It feels great."

Former Baldwin catcher Kurt Suzuki led Cal State Fullerton to the College World Series title and was named to six All-America teams. Advertiser library photo • June 6, 2004

Pinch-me season for former Baldwin star

If this were a dream then former Baldwin star Kurt Suzuki would never want to wake up.

How can you top this?

Suzuki, a 6-foot-1, 200-pound catcher, drove in the winning run to help Cal State Fullerton win the College World Series over Texas, 3-2.

He was named to six All-America teams, including first team on Baseball America, Louisville Slugger and CollegeBaseballInsider.com.

He earned the Johnny Bench Award, which is given to the nation's top college catcher.

Suzuki was named recipient of the inaugural Brooks Wallace National Player of the Year Award by the newly formed College Baseball Foundation.