The state of women's tennis in the Pacific West Conference is similar to the men, meaning that most every year you can expect a battle between HPU and Azusa Pacific for the conference banner, with another challenger or two waiting to break past that duo.
2024 looks to be the same, if you ask the PacWest coaches. In the annual coaches preseason poll, Azusa Pacific is tabbed to win with HPU gaining the second spot. The Cougars had 220 poll points and the Sharks 200. This year, Point Loma looks to be the team that could upset that apple cart, checking at third with 197 points.
If the Cougars are able to win the PacWest tournament, set for April 17-20 in Surprise, Arizona, they would reclaim the crown that they won in 2021 and 2022. The Sharks took that banner from them in 2023, putting a trophy in their case next to their 2018 and 2019 hardware.
The road to Surprise begins this weekend for many of the teams, weather permitting. Twelve of the 15 squads will play at some point this weekend, beginning Thursday through the weekend. Only the Hawai'i squads will wait for another two weeks, squaring off against each other on O'ahu.
There are 15 women's tennis teams in the PacWest, with the top 12 qualifying for the tournament in Surprise.
The PacWest teams do not play an official conference schedule, but many of the top teams will face off against each other before the PacWest Championships (April 17-20) in Surprise, Arizona. Only the top 12 teams in the conference will qualify for the tournament as determined by the PacWest selection committee, meaning teams will have to play their way into earning a berth.
HAWAI'I HILO
Hawai'i Hilo was right behind ART U with 136 points and the No. 6 ranking. Head coach Kallen Mizuguchi has six players returning from a 10-10 squad including McKenna Mountain (2023 All-PacWest Third Team), Akari Ichikawa, Julia Barden, Hikari Osaki and Nanami Okamoto. He also has two transfers in Satoho Toriumi (New Mexico) and Cami Oyama (Utah Tech). Toriumi went 29-15 in singles and 26-23 in doubles over three seasons with the Lobos.
