NCSA's Collegiate Power Rankings rate colleges and universities comprehensively based on student-athlete graduation rates, academic strength, and athletic prowess of the university.

UH-Hilo is ranked seventh and HPU is ranked 19th. Also making the Division II list was Brigham Young-Hawai'i at No. 93.

Combined with all three NCAA divisions, UH-Hilo is ranked 80th overall. The Hawai'i schools are in a group of less than 6 percent of colleges and universities across the nation to make NCSA's Top 100 for 2007.

"With so many great colleges and universities to choose from, NCSA's power rankings objectively help student-athletes compare collegiate opportunities so they know how institutions stack up pound for pound," NCSA CEO and founder Chris Krause said in a news release issued today by HPU.

"With this ranking, it shows us that Hawai'i Pacific University not only places importance on winning games, but on academics and graduating players as well, especially in the last year."

HPU athletics director and head men's basketball coach Darren Vorderbruegge said in the release:

"HPU's athletics department works with every student-athlete to assure they fulfill their responsibilities as students." He added, "We are proud to be listed in the top 20 of the Division II Collegiate Power Rankings, validating the importance we place on academics as part of HPU's total educational program."

A member of the PacWest Conference, HPU's Sea Warrior sports program comprises the three-time national champion women's volleyball team (1990, 1998 and 2000), the 1993 national champion men's basketball team, the five-time national champion cheer and dance teams, as well as women's basketball, men's baseball, women's softball, men's golf, cross country, tennis, and soccer.

NCSA's Collegiate Power Rankings — at www.ncsapowerrankings.org — are calculated for each college and university at the NCAA Division I, II and III levels, by averaging the U.S. News & World Report ranking, the U.S. Sports Academy Directors' Cup ranking, and the NCAA student-athlete graduation rate of each school.

The U.S. Sports Academy Directors' Cup rating evaluates the strength of NCAA athletic departments, while the U.S. News & World Report rating recognizes institutions of academic excellence. The student-athlete graduation rates are provided by the NCAA.

In addition to the Collegiate Power Rankings, NCSA provides recruiting education to high school athletic directors, coaches, and families of student-athletes who are interested in competing at the college level.