Wahine coach Bolla applying at UNLV
Hawaii women's basketball coach Jim Bolla has applied for the head coaching job at UNLV -- where he previously coached for 14 years in the 1980s and 90s.
"I applied for the job, I just did send it, yeah," Bolla said yesterday from Florida, site of the women's NCAA Final Four.
Bolla has compiled a 56-57 overall record in four years at Hawaii and has three more seasons remaining on his current contract, which was extended last summer by then-AD Herman Frazier. Bolla expressed a desire to see that fulfilled, and said he applied more out of "courtesy" for former players and boosters who requested he do so.
"I've got a great job at the university here, and we're going to have a really good recruiting class coming in," he said. "Planning on being at the University of Hawaii, fulfilling the contract there, and hopefully being there for a lot longer than what's listed on my contract."
UH athletic director Jim Donovan was contacted by Bolla about two weeks ago, and gave him permission to talk to UNLV.
"My philosophy is, I think the University of Hawaii is a great place to coach, and if a coach wants to look to another institution, we're not going to get in their way," Donovan said.
Bolla was not among the "approximately 16" preliminary interviews conducted by UNLV, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported yesterday. He compiled a 300-120 record there from 1982 to 1996, leading the Lady Rebels to seven NCAA tournament appearances.