It's no accident that the All-Pacific West Conference softball team looks suspiciously like the Hawai'i Pacific starting lineup.

Eleven Sea Warriors were included in the first and second all-PacWest teams, led by co-head coaches Howard Okita and Bryan Nakasone (Coaches of the Year) and junior ace Courtney Kessell (Pitcher of the Year).

No other team had more than five honorees.

The Sea Warriors dominated the conference with a 23-1 record (43-5-1 overall), but were shut out of postseason play.

Kessell, a Kailua graduate, led the conference with a 23-2 record and 1.68 ERA. She shared first-team pitching honors with teammate Sherise Musquiz.

"This year, (Kessell) was a lot more focused," Okita said. "She knew her role and she played up to it. She really wanted to do well for our seniors. As a team, we wanted to send them off in style. Unfortunately, we didn't get the bid."

Joining Kessell and Musquiz on the first team were fellow Sea Warriors Nicole Kalakau, Krystal Plunkett, Ciera Senas and Jessica Adolph. Casey Sugihara, Tajia Acierto and Anuhea Young were named to the second team.

Okita said he wasn't surprised at how many of his players were recognized. The irony of being so honored is that it underscores the perception that HPU doesn't have any competition within the conference — a perception that hurt HPU when it came to postseason selection.

"We expected to be right up there with the numbers we had," Okita said of the conference honors. "But people are going to say that we didn't have a tough (conference) schedule and that's why we dominated."

The only other Hawai'i players recognized were Brigham Young-Hawai'i's Melissa Lehano (second team) and Hawai'i-Hilo's Brittany Dock, who made the first team as a catcher and the second team as a designated player.

Haley Schumers of Dixie State was named Player of the Year. Other honorees included Grand Canyon's Yasmeen Watkins (Newcomer of the Year) and Dixie State's Brittnie Whipple (Freshman of the Year).

2008 ALL-PACWEST SOFTBALL

FIRST TEAM

Position — Player (school).

1st Base — Nicole Kalakau (HPU).

2nd Base — Yasmeen Watkins (GCU).

Shortstop — Krystal Plunkett (HPU).

3rd Base — Haley Schumers (Dixie).

Outfielder — Carli Jones (Dixie).

Outfielder — Ciera Senas (HPU).

Outfielder — Dabney McIntyre (Dixie).

Catcher — Brittany Dock (UHH).

Pitcher — Courtney Kessell (HPU), Sherise Musquiz (HPU).

Utility — Tara Van Meter (NDNU).

Flex — Jessie Dunn (Dixie).

DP— Jessica Adolph (HPU).

Player of the Year — Haley Schumers (Dixie).

Pitcher of the Year — Courtney Kessell (HPU).

Newcomer of the Year — Yasmeen Watkins (GCU).

Freshman of the Year — Brittnie Whipple (Dixie).

Co-Coach of the Year — Howard Okita and Bryan Nakasone (HPU).

SECOND TEAM

Position — Player (school).

1st Base — Randi Johns (GCU).

2nd Base — Casey Sugihara (HPU).

Shortstop — Tanya Huson (NDNU).

3rd Base — Melissa Lehano (BYU-Hawaii).

Outfielder — Tajia Acierto (HPU).

Outfielder — Tana Holtorf (GCU).

Outfielder — Lindsay Crist (NDNU).

Catcher — Anuhea Young (HPU).

Pitcher — Haley Schumers (Dixie).

Pitcher — Cierra Keeney (NDNU).

Utility — Michelle Farrell (GCU).

Flex — None.

DP — Brittany Dock (UHH).

CU HIRES SOCCER COACH

Experience was apparently a key consideration in Chaminade's selection of a new head men's soccer coach.

Jason Kelley, a former professional player with extensive experience in coaching, player development and sports management, was hired to lead a team that failed to win a game in conference last year.

Kelley, owner of Xtreme Soccer Hawai'i, played professionally in England and his native Australia from 1993 to 1998.

From 2000 to 2004, he served as executive director and head coach of the Richmond Kickers, overseeing some 50 teams in the Richmond system.

After serving as assistant director of coaching for the Mililani Soccer Club, Kelley joined the Hawai'i Olympic Development program, where he coached and oversaw player development.

Kelley takes over a team that finished 0-10 in the PacWest and 2-16-1 overall.

HPU TEAMS ADD TALENT

After a pair of his-and-hers dismal seasons, the Hawai'i Pacific men's and women's basketball teams took steps toward recovery with key signings this month.

The men's team, which finished last in the PacWest with a 5-13 record (8-19 overall), signed Mike Helton from Cochise College (Ariz.) and Norman Wells from John A. Logan College (Ill.).

Helton, a 6-foot-6 guard, averaged 8.3 points last season.

Wells, a 6-3 forward who began his collegiate career at Indiana State, averaged 8.4 points on 57-percent shooting.

The HPU women, who finished fifth in the PacWest at 8-10 (8-19 overall), signed three players from a Cerritos Community College (Calif.) squad that went undefeated in the South Coast Conference and advanced to the Elite Eight of the California Athletic Association State Championship Tournament.

Joining the Sea Warriors are 5-10 forward Maltresa Neely, 5-11 forward Genesis Lewis, and 5-10 swing Tiffany Wilson.

Lewis earned co-South Coast Conference South Division player of the year recognition last year after averaging 13.3 points, 7.7 rebounds and 2.4 assists.

Lewis averaged 10.9 points and 7.6 rebounds and shot 47 percent from the field.

Wilson showed her versatility by averaging 10.4 points, 4.4 rebounds and 3.5 assists.