Today’s column looks at the biggest highlights of University of Hawaii sports during its 33 years in the WAC as the Warriors, Rainbows and Wahine exit the conference. What about individual athletes? Who were the biggest UH stars in WAC competition.

Al Noga. Jason Elam. Colt Brennan. Anthony Carter. Kolten Wong. Kim Willoughby. Kanani Danielson. Natasha Kai. National champions like Emma Friesen and Amber Kaufman.

Those are just a few. Who were UH’s best in the WAC?

Record-setting former University of Hawaii quarterback Timmy Chang is joining Southern Methodist as a graduate assistant coach in July.

Chang who was a star at Saint Louis School and also played professionally in the CFL, will be reunited with his UH head coach June Jones and quarterbacks coach Dan Morrison. Jones is now the Mustangs head coach and Morrison an assistant.

“Last year when I got my bachelor’s degree I let Coach Morrison know that I’d be interested if something became available there,” Chang said in a phone interview Friday night. “I got a message from him last week and talked with him and Coach Jones.”

Chang said he’s excited about the opportunity, but also has some mixed feelings because he was set to be the offensive coordinator at Mililani High School this season, and had already begun working with the Trojans.

Chang said he will continue his youth clinics until he leaves for Dallas in July.

>> Regarding Monday’s column on the logjam of high school state championships, Matt Hogland suggests moving the boys volleyball tournament from spring back to fall. I think that’s a good idea, but the tournament used to be in the fall. It was moved to the spring to be in line with the college men’s volleyball season.

>> A friend who wants to remain anonymous had this to say about mid-major conferences: Man, more and more it seems like the MWC, CUSA et al are like Ross Dress For Less ‹ the bargain bin of discontinued lines and slightly damaged merchandise.

>> This is from Steve Somers, a Boise State fans, on if the Broncos might buck back to the Mountain West:

Good article, except that you left out one little item. Boise State may return to the MWC, but the reason would be due to the other sports at Boise State has very little options to go to.

If the money from the TV contract is not high enough, you may see Boise State back in the MWC! But compare them to a female who cheated on her husband to date you, and now wants to marry you. What would stop her from cheating on you? Boise will wait for the Big 12 to invite them for all sports! 12Pac conference … No way!
Thanks for a good article.
Steve

>> James Hasegawa likes the idea of UH football games starting early in the day:
What is so wrong with an earlier start on Saturdays? Don’t think that teams such as Florida, Georgia and USC, don’t know the advantage they have in September when the opposing team is melting in the noon heat. Most of the colleges in the country have a start time from 12:00 – 4:00p. Don’t those people have jobs? Don’t they all over other things to do? I don’t understand this argument. Hawaii should start their games earlier for the national exposure and to get their score out to the East Coast before Sunday. Also, playing during that time in Hawaii can only be an advantage for the home team that is conditioned to the heat. You put a winning team on the field, as well as bring in noteworthy opponents, the fans will pack the stadium, Explain to me why Hawaii should be an exception when the rest of the country plays during the day? Even UNLV, as crappy as they are, play some day games and their fans (few as they may be), don’t complain. How spoiled are UH fans if they all feel that way, including you? I have said for years that UH should move some of their games up. It’s a Saturday, whether you play the game at 2:00, or at 6:00, there will always be someone that has to go to work? It doesn’t matter and this point about game times doesn’t hold water.

Boxer Andy Ganigan, 59, one of the greatest sports figures in Hawaii history, died today in Las Vegas. As a world champion, he was an inspiration to many, many people in Hawaii … especially those in his hometown of Waipahu and those of Filipino heritage.

There have been many great boxers from Hawaii over the decades, including several other world champions. But something about Ganigan always set him apart for me. As I wrote two years ago, he was my generation’s B.J. Penn.

Saddened to hear of the death of former Moanalua High School and University of Hawaii football star Heikoti Fakava. Fakava, who played for the Rainbows in the late 1980s, was one of the toughest college running backs I’ve ever seen.

Fakava was No. 72 in the Star-Bulletin’s series on the top 100 football players in UH history in 2009. Here’s the feature on Fakava that Jason Kaneshiro wrote for the series.

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Sometimes athletes, coaches and fans do stupid things because they lose their cool in the heat of a tense game, or because they are frustrated over an outcome.

Amare Stoudamire punched a fire extinguisher glass container after his New York Knicks lost to the Miami Heat in the NBA Playoffs on Monday. Now he’s probably out for the series.

Where does this rank in the sports world of self-inflicted problems?