The BYU-Hawaii women's volleyball team, the Lady Seasiders, took home its third NAIA national volleyball title after competing Dec. 7 in Hays, Kan.
Irae Utu, a junior and outside hitter from American Samoa led the team to its victory. She was named the NAIA's Most Valuable Player of the tournament. She and sophomore Lei Finau, a middle blocker from Laie, were also named to the NAIA 1991 All-American team. BYU Coach Wilfred Navalta was named the NAIA Women's Volleyball Coach of the Year.The Seasiders, with a 30-1 won-loss record (also a school win record), had the top seed going into the national tournament after being rated No. 1 all season and winning the Hawaii area's NAIA District 29 championship.
A semifinal match with cross-state rivals, the University of Hawaii-Hilo, proved to be the only tournament competition for the BYU-Hawaii team.
Utu and junior Cynthia Reeves of Provo, Utah, were named first-team NAIA volleyball All-Americans Dec. 11.