University of Hawaii football season ticket renewals are running slightly above the 2009 pace, despite the team coming off its first losing season in four years, officials said yesterday.

Nearly 18,500 – or approximately 77 percent – of last year’s nearly 24,000 season tickets have so far been renewed, UH said.

Last week was the announced deadline for season ticket renewals, but orders are still dribbling in, according to media relations director Derek Inouchi.

Inouchi said the number is expected to rise as UH coaches and players begin annual "call-backs" of ticket holders who haven’t renewed. In addition, student, faculty and staff season tickets have yet to go on sale.

Inouchi said last year’s renewals were at 77 percent after faculty, staff and student sales.

UH finished 6-7 last year, its first losing season since 2005. Officials had been concerned that the combination of the record and state of the economy might mean a drop for a fourth consecutive year.

"I think the attractiveness of the opener with USC is a plus," athletic director Jim Donovan said.

Renewals were at 89 percent for 2008, coming off the Sugar Bowl season and the "Backin’ McMackin" campaign for new head coach Greg McMackin. They hit a 14-year high of 95 percent in 2007 following the announcement that quarterback Colt Brennan would return for his senior season.

UH will start selling new season tickets July 19. Individual game tickets are expected to go on sale in August.