It turns out the University of Hawai'i's timing last football season was even better than the Warriors knew.

Not only did they win two overtime games en route to a 12-0 regular season and a Sugar Bowl appearance, the Warriors did it in what might hold up as the most lucrative season to be a Western Athletic Conference Bowl Championship Series representative.

The WAC Council, at its annual spring meetings yesterday in Phoenix, voted to significantly slice the amount future WAC representatives might keep from BCS appearances, commissioner Karl Benson said. The Council's action requires approval of the WAC Board of Directors next month to become effective in 2009.

UH realizes $4,385,555 from its 41-10 loss to Georgia, 70 percent of the WAC's share of the Sugar Bowl payout, when checks go out in July. Other WAC members will receive $410,555 each from UH's BCS appearance. Benson declined to say what the future figure would be but said it would be "significantly" less than what UH received.

Among the six BCS conferences and five affiliated conferences, the WAC pays one of the highest returns to its participating teams. Georgia, for example, said it will get $1.74 million off the top of its Sugar Bowl victory and "about $800,000" in travel expenses. The rest will go into the Southeastern Conference pool from which all members draw.

In the Pac-10, where bowl receipts are also pooled, Southern California earned just $1.846 million from its Rose Bowl victory over Illinois, the Los Angeles Times reported.

Boise State was paid $4,294,000 for its 2007 Fiesta Bowl victory over Oklahoma.

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The WAC Volleyball Tournament that will be held at the Stan Sheriff Center in November apparently will not be the last in a series.

The WAC Council did not back a proposal to do away with the tournament. Several schools believe dropping the tournament and using the dates (Nov. 20 to 23) to play additional non-conference games would boost their Ratings Percentage Index and enhance their at-large NCAA Tournament chances.

Benson said he favored retaining the tournament. "Championships are the heart of the conference and one of the prime reasons conferences were created."

UH is the eight-time defending WAC champion.

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Southern Methodist, which earlier declined UH inquiries about football games in 2009 and beyond, has announced games in 2009 and 2012 with Stephen F. Austin, a Division I-AA member.

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UH announced it has received pledges for 20 new men's basketball season tickets as of yesterday.

Fans can reserve season tickets with a $50 (per order, not ticket) deposit by calling 944-2697.