When the final returns are in, the University of Hawai'i projects three of its 19 teams — football, women's volleyball and men's basketball — will have turned profits and one, women's basketball, might have lost a record amount.

UH completed its 2008-09 fiscal year yesterday and based upon unaudited figures as of May 31, football is expected to turn a $3,169,500 million profit while women's basketball is forecast to lose $1.05 million, according to the school.

Overall, UH is projecting a $2.58 million deficit that will add to the $5.4 million debt accumulated over the previous five years.

But athletic director Jim Donovan said he believes there is room for growth in all six revenue-producing sports — football, women's volleyball, men's basketball, men's volleyball, baseball and women's basketball — to significantly reduce the red ink in the fiscal year that began today and, eventually, break even in the 2011 fiscal year.

"If our ticket sales grow those (deficits) are something we can start to whittle down quickly," Donovan said. "It is something we definitely expect to work toward very hard."

Women's basketball will have considerable room for upside growth after its worst season, on — and off — the court. The Rainbow Wahine sustained the most losses (8-23) in their 35-year history and had a shortfall of $1,025,000, based upon taking in approximately $32,000 with expenses of $1,057,000, according to UH figures.

UH officials have said they believe that with the possible exception of the 0-12 football team of 1998, it could be the biggest financial loss sustained by a UH team. Figures for 1998 were not immediately available.

In addition, UH is counting on the enthusiasm generated by the hiring of new coach Charlie Wade to help return men's volleyball to profitability. Until three years ago the program had managed a surplus. In its 1990's heydays, men's volleyball had even managed a reported $400,000 profit.

Football was credited with producing $10,556,500, approximately 37 percent of the athletic department's revenue, in the just-completed fiscal year. Its $3,169,000 profit helped underwrite other sports.

Football's biggest source of revenue, ticket sales, brought in $4.8 million for the 2008 season. The figure, in a 7-7 finish, was the lowest of the past three years but largely expected coming off the 12-1 Sugar Bowl season ($6.07 million). The 11-3 finish (5.08 million) of 2006 had one more home date.

With two of the top conference opponents, Fresno State and Boise State, coming to Aloha Stadium this year along with non-conference draws Navy and Wisconsin, UH hopes for a spike in ticket sales.

Women's volleyball was credited with turning the second-largest profit, $303,500, while men's basketball topped expenses by $117,000.