Chaminade plays Alaska Anchorage in Friday's opening round of the West regional in the NCAA Division II men's basketball championships at Seattle.

The Silverswords, the Pacific West Conference champions, finished the regular season 18-8 and were given an at-large berth and the region's No. 3 seed. Alaska Anchorage (19-11) is the No. 6 seed. Seattle Pacific is the host and top seed of the eight-team regional.

The regionals continue Saturday and next Monday. The eight regional winners advance to the quarterfinals at Springfield, Mass.

Other West region matchups are Seattle Pacific (22-5) vs. No. 8 Central Washington (15-12), No. 4 Sonoma State (18-8) vs. No. 5 Cal State Bakersfield (20-7) and No. 2 Western Washington vs. No. 7 Humboldt State.

UH'S GRICE ON WAC'S ALL-DEFENSIVE TEAM

University of Hawai'i junior Brittany Grice was named to the Western Athletic Conference women's basketball All-Defensive Team yesterday.

Grice, a 6-foot-4 center from Redondo Beach, Calif., leads the Rainbow Wahine in rebounding (7.7 per game) and blocked shots (2.6 per game). In the regular season, she led the WAC in blocks and ranked 13th in the country. Grice was also the team's third-leading scorer (11.8).

No other Rainbow Wahine made the All-WAC first or second teams.

Mirenda Swearengin of Frenso State was named player of the year. Louisiana Tech's Chris Long was coach of the year. Brandi Fitzgerald of Nevada was newcomer of the year.

ALL-WESTERN ATHLETIC CONFERNCE

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL

FIRST TEAM

LAMISHA AUGUSTINE, SAN JOSE STATE, FORWARD, SENIOR

Amber Jackson, San Jose State, forward, sophomore; Amy Parrish, Fresno State, forward, senior; Mirenda Swearengin, Fresno State, guard, senior; Tasha Williams, Louisiana Tech, guard, senior; Player of the Year: Mirenda Swearengin, Frenso State.

Coach of the Year: Chris Long, Louisiana Tech. Newcomer of the Year: Brandi Fitzgerald, Nevada.

SECOND TEAM

Emily Faurholt, Idaho, post, senior; Leilani Mitchell, Idaho, guard, junior; Shan Moore, Louisiana Tech, guard, junior; Ty Moore, Louisiana Tech, forward, junior; Aarica Ray-Boyd, Louisiana Tech, guard, senior

ALL-DEFENSIVE TEAM

Lamisha Augustine; Brittany Grice, Hawai'i, center, junior; Leilani Mitchell; Jasmine Plummer, Fresno State, guard, junior; Tasha Williams

ALL-FRESHMAN TEAM

Dellena Criner, Nevada, guard; Brandi Fitzgerald, Nevada, guard; Eboni Mangum, Louisiana Tech, guard; Danyelle Snelgro Utah State, guard; Jessica Thompson, Boise State, guard.