Gov. Sarah Palin, the former Wasilla High guard, has teamed up with UAA officials to protest a new setup for NCAA Division II playoffs that hurts teams from Alaska and Hawaii. In an effort to save travel costs, the new NCAA plan would send the top teams of the region to two four-team playoffs instead of one eight-team playoff if the top-seeded host team is from Alaska or Hawaii. UAA is currently the top-ranked women's Division II team in the country.

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Ruby Williams

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In a letter to Mike Racy, vice president for Division II of the NCAA, Palin said "this plan creates two classes of membership -- institutions that are allowed to host an eight team regional and those that are not allowed to host, based on geography."

The NCAA plan would allow an Alaska or Hawaii team to host -- but they could host only three other teams instead of seven. The winners of the two smaller four-team playoffs would then meet, with the winner advancing to the NCAA Elite Eight.

Palin said that "announcing this change without any discussions and/or input from the conferences that would be impacted" was wrong, and she urged the NCAA to rescind "this inappropriate and unfair ... plan."

NCAA executive director Myles Brand and Great Northwest Athletic Conference commissioner Richard Hannan were copied on Palin's letter. Hannan has previously said it's too late to protest the playoffs that begin next month.

UAA's Ruby Williams secures weekly GNAC honor

Senior Ruby Williams on Monday was named the Great Northwest Athletic Conference co-Player of the Week for women's basketball after helping the nation's top-ranked Division II team run its winning streak to 22 games.

A 5-10 forward, Williams led UAA with 28 points in wins over Western Washington (70-67) on Thursday and Central Washington (76-48) on Saturday. The Phoenix, Ariz., native also grabbed seven rebounds in the two contests and sank 10 of 11 free throws.

It is the first career Player of the Week award for Williams, who becomes the fourth Seawolf to earn the honor this season. Rebecca Kielpinski, Nicci Miller and Jackie Thiel were the previous winners for the balanced Seawolves.

Williams shared this week's award with UAF guard Sheena Brown, who nearly broke the GNAC single-game scoring record with 44 points against Central Washington.

The UAA women (24-1, 11-0 GNAC) play four straight road games, beginning Thursday at nationally ranked Seattle Pacific.

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