Lauren Minkel was a true freshman — just months out of high school — when her Long Beach State women's volleyball team advanced to the second round of the 2008 NCAA Division I Volleyball Tournament, an experience she will draw from come Friday.

Minkel, a 5-foot-9 sophomore from Honolulu and starting libero for the Big West Conference champions, was a backup last year when the 49ers lost at national power Stanford in the round of 32.

"That was really exciting," said Minkel, who had 12 digs against the Cardinal. "Going to the NCAA Tournament in my freshman year and playing at Stanford, at such a high level, that was pretty neat."

LBSU (22-8) will play another California powerhouse in UCLA (23-8) Friday at the storied Pauley Pavilion in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

"We played UCLA already, but I think that doesn't matter because the stakes are different now. They're going to come hard and we're going to have to come hard, too," said Minkel, a 2008 'Iolani graduate.

LBSU swept UCLA on Sept. 19 as part of a tournament hosted by Cal State Fullerton. The 49ers went 11-4 in the Big West to set-up a winner-take-all showdown with UC Irvine two weeks ago.

"It went five sets and it was a really exciting match," Minkel said. "We have a long tradition and the Big West championship on the line. Our team really wanted it."

Minkel had a match-high 27 digs to help the 49ers to their second consecutive league title.

Last season, Minkel played in every set of each match and averaged 1.9 digs per set.

"It was a good way to start my freshman year and work my way into the lineup," she said. "Last year, I just tried to help my team out in whatever way I could, but this year I've had to step up my game and there's been much more responsibility."

Minkel is flourishing, averaging 4.32 digs per set — second best in the Big West,

"Our libero was a senior last year and I knew that I had a chance to start this season," Minkel said. "(LBSU head coach Brian Gimmillaro) told me to fight for it, to work hard and train and that he knew I could do it."

Minkel accepted Gimmillaro's challenge.

"I trained really hard, I wanted that spot so badly," she said. "I wanted to make my team win, I want to be on the floor when we're winning, because all that matters is winning. Last year I came in not really expecting to play, but willing to work hard and this year I feel like I've earned my job and now it's just time to play."

The winner of Friday's LBSU-UCLA match will play the Georgia Tech-Baylor winner in a second-round match Saturday.

MORE VOLLEYBALL

• Washington senior libero Tamari Miyashiro (Kalani '05 of Käne'ohe) had a match-high 31 digs with one ace in a five-set loss to Oregon Friday. Miyashiro was an Honorable Mention Pac-10 All-Academic selection. The Huskies (23-5) are the No. 6 seed in the NCAA Tournament and play Northern Colorado (21-11) tomorrow in Fort Collins, Colo.

• Texas sophomore libero Sydney Yogi (Punahou '08 of Honolulu) had six digs in a sweep of Oklahoma last Wednesday and five in Saturday's sweep of Kansas. The Longhorns (24-1) won the Big 12 championship and is the national No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament. Texas hosts Texas State (22-12) tomorrow in a first-round match.

• Saint Mary's (Calif.) sophomore outside hitter Chanteal Satele (Word of Life '08 of Mililani) hit .417 with six kills and two blocks and junior setter Kapua Kamana'o ('Iolani '07 of Honolulu) had 18 assists with two digs in a sweep of BYU Saturday. The Gaels (22-4) open with UC Santa Barbara (22-7) Friday in Palo Alto, Calif. in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

• George Mason (Va.) freshman libero Koala Matsuoka (Kamehameha '09 of Wahiawä) is averaging a team-best 3.42 digs per set. The Patriots (23-8) won the Colonial Athletic Association and will play seventh-seed Iowa State (25-4) Friday in Ames, Iowa in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

• Oregon State senior setter Camilla Ah-Hoy (Kahuku '06 of Lä'ie) recorded 57 assists and 14 digs in five-set loss at Washington State Friday. Ah-Hoy was an Honorable Mention Pac-10 All-Academic selection.

• Boston College sophomore libero Brennan Clark (University High '08 of Mililani) had a team-high 16 digs in last Wednesday's three-set loss at Maryland.

• Pittsburgh junior defensive specialist Melanie Feldman (Punahou '07 of Honolulu) had eight digs in a four-set loss to VCU Friday and 11 in Saturday's four-set loss to Delaware.

• UNLV junior libero Kela Lau Hee (Kamehameha-Maui '07 of Pukalani) had a team-high 12 digs with two aces in a four-set loss to Long Beach State Friday at the Mizuno Thanksgiving Tournament. Lau Hee recorded 22 digs and freshman defensive specialist Nile Te'o (Kahuku '09) added 14 digs in Saturday's five-set loss to Cal State Fullerton. Senior outside hitter Deven Bukoski (Kamehameha '06 of Kula) had nine digs and three kills for the Titans.

• UC Irvine junior outside hitter Larissa Nordyke (Punahou '07 of Honolulu) notched 13 digs, nine kills and four assists in a four-set loss to TCU Saturday.

• Central Washington junior libero Brandie Vea (Kalani '07 of Honolulu) was named Honorable Mention Division II All-American by the American Volleyball Coaches Association Monday. Vea, whose 5.83 digs per set ranked fourth nationally, was a First Team All-Northwest Conference selection and an All-West Region pick by the AVCA. She also was named to the CoSIDA/ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District VIII College Division second team.

• Lower Columbia College (Wash.) freshman setter Lavinia Latu (Kahuku '09) was named Northwest Athletic Association of Community Colleges Western Division co-Player of the Year after tallying 137 kills, 358 assists, 126 digs and 44 aces to leads the Lady Devils to a 23-10 record and 1-2 finish at the NWAACC Championships. Freshman outside hitter Taofi Sanft (Kahuku '09 of Lä'ie) was a Second Team Western Division selection.

FOOTBALL

• Notre Dame freshman outside linebacker Manti Te'o (Punahou '09 of Lä'ie) had 10 tackles Saturday, but the Fighting Irish (6-6) lost their regular-season finale, 45-38 at Stanford.

• Utah junior defensive end Nai Fotu (Kahuku '07 of Lä'ie) made four tackles, including one for loss, and senior linebacker Kepa Gaison (Kamehameha '05 of Käne'ohe) added two tackles, one sack and broke up a pass in the Utes' 26-23 loss at rival Brigham Young. Senior RJ Willing (Kamehameha '03 of Kahuku) started at center for BYU and sopohomore wide receiver Spencer Hafoka (Kahuku '05) caught one pass for 13 yards.

• Colorado junior outside linebacker B.J. Beatty (Kahuku '06 of Ka'a'awa) had six tackles and junior inside linebacker Michael Sipili (Damien '06 of Honolulu) added three stops in the Buffaloes' 28-20 loss to Nebraska Friday.

• Washington senior defensive end Daniel Te'o-Nesheim (Hawai'i Prep '04 of Waikoloa) recorded three tackles with two for losses and one sack in the Huskies' 30-0 rout of rival Washington in Saturday's Apple Cup. He also recovered a fumble in the fourth quarter.

• Idaho sophomore linebacker Robert Siavi'i (Leilehua '08 of Wahiawä) made five tackles and junior linebacker JoJo Dickson (Baldwin '07 of Wailuku) added three stops with two for losses and one quarterback hurry in the Vandals' 52-49 loss to Utah State Saturday.

• San Jose State junior safety Manu Ngatikaura (Kahuku '04 of Lä'ie) had four tackles and junior linebacker Braden Storaasli (Damien '06 of Kapolei) added one stop in the Spartans' 13-10 win over New Mexico State Saturday. NMSU freshman linebacker BJ Adolpho (Kahuku '06) had three tackles and junior defensive end Ka'ua Adolpho (Kahuku '06) made three stops with one sack.

• San Diego State sophomore defensive lineman J.J. Autele (Punahou '08 of Waipahu) had three tackles Saturday, but the Aztecs lost 28-24 at UNLV. Junior defensive lineman Ramsey Feagai (Radford '06 of Honolulu) had one tackle for the Rebels.

• Linfield sophomore defensive back Nate Dixon (Kapolei '08) made six tackles and intercepted two passes in the Wildcats' 53-21 win over Mary Hardin-Baylor Saturday in the second round of the NCAA Division III playoffs. Freshman kicker Maika Kunioka (Leilehua '09) made field goals from 22 and 33 yards and was 7-of-7 on PAT kicks. Linfield hosts St. Thomas (Minn.) Saturday in a third-round game.

SWIMMING & DIVING

• Fordham (N.Y.) freshman Thomas Yi (Kalani '09 of Honolulu) was named Atlantic 10 Conference Rookie of the Week after three top five finishes in a meet against Columbia. Yi placed second (55.54) in the 100-yard individual medley, third (53.63) in the 100 butterfly and fifth (24.60) in the 50 freestyle.

MEN'S BASKETBALL

• Willamette (Ore.) sophomore forward Taylor Mounts ('Iolani '08 of Kailua) scored 12 points and grabbed nine rebounds in a 97-71 loss to Oregon Tech Friday. Mounts had 13 points and 10 rebounds in a 95-81 loss to Southern Oregon Saturday.

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL

• UNLV sophomore forward Jamie Smith ('Iolani '08 of Kailua) scored seven points with nine rebounds, four assists and two steals in the Rebels' 74-66 loss to Boise State Saturday.

• Idaho sophomore guard Shaena-Lyn Kuehu (Punahou '08 of Honolulu) scored a team-high 15 points with seven rebounds, four assists and two steals in a 68-56 loss to Lamar Saturday. Kuehu scored a game-high 20 points in Sunday's 90-66 rout of Louisiana-Lafayette.

• Cal State Northridge junior forward Analee Viena-Lota (Kamehameha '07 of Honolulu) scored a team-high 16 points in a 79-42 loss to Northern Colorado Thursday. Viena-Lota was in the starting lineup along with freshmen Janelle Nomura (Punahou '09 of Honolulu) and Violet Alama (Kalani '09 of Honolulu). Nomura scored six points with two rebounds, one assist and two steals, and Alama grabbed six rebounds and had one block.

• Concordia (Calif.) junior guard Nicole Fu (Maryknoll '07 of Honolulu) scored a game-high 20 points with six rebounds and five assists in Friday's 67-55 win over Menlo (Calif.). Fu scored 20 on 6-of-11 shooting Saturday to lift the Eagles to 5-0 with a 65-53 win over Holy Names (Calif.). Fu had 16 points with five rebounds in last night's 75-62 win over Hope International (Calif.).

• Holy Names (Calif.) junior guard Jamie-Leigh Ronolo (Moanalua '07 of Honolulu) scored 15 points in a 71-60 loss to Azusa Pacific Friday. Ronolo had 12 points in a loss to Concordia (Calif.) Saturday.