HONOLULU, Hawai'i – The University of Hawai'i at Hilo is in third place in the inaugural PacWest Hawaii Challenge standings following the completion of the winter sports season.
UH Hilo amassed 13 points following the completion of the basketball season. Hawaii Pacific University leads with 23 points followed by Brigham Young University-Hawaii (21 points), UH Hilo (13 points) and Chaminade (11 points).
HPU gained 4 points by winning the women's basketball competition ahead of BYU-Hawaii (3 points), UH Hilo (2 points) and Chaminade (1 point). In men's basketball, the evenly-matched field played to a four-way tie and all four schools netted 4 points.
The Challenge was created to elevate the Hawaii-based rivalries within the PacWest Conference and recognize the high level of competition between local member institutions.
The nine sports composing the PacWest Hawaii Challenge include: women's cross country, volleyball, soccer, softball and tennis; men's soccer and golf; and men's and women's basketball. A perpetual trophy will be awarded to the yearly winner, with the trophy being presented by the other athletic directors at the winning school's campus.
The scoring system is based on the following criteria:
>>Points are awarded for head-to-head conference matchups in women's volleyball, soccer, basketball and softball as well as men's soccer and basketball. Two points are awarded for every win, while one point is earned with a tie and losses net zero points. At the conclusion of each sport's season, schools are ranked in order of points earned. The institution with the highest point total receives four points toward the cumulative standings, while second-, third- and fourth-place finishers receive three, two and one points, respectively. Postseason competitions do not factor in the point tallies.
>>For women's cross country, tennis and men's golf, points are awarded based on how the teams finish at the PacWest Conference Championships. Regular-season matchups will not play a role in scoring since these teams do not have consistent matchups against each other. The highest-ranking team in each sport after the championship tournament receives four points, while three points go to the runner-up, two to the third-place finisher and one point for fourth place.
>>Scores from the nine sports will be tabulated to determine an overall champion. Head-to-head tiebreakers do not exist, so teams that finish with the same number of points within an individual season all earn the appropriate point totals toward the season-long standings. The maximum number of points possible is 36.
Sports information directors from the four schools will assist in updating scores and promoting the challenge. HPU continues to manage the master calendar and scoring chart with any discrepancies being addressed and resolved by the athletic directors.
The final three sports to factor in the PacWest Hawaii Challenge are softball, women's tennis and men's golf.
