Goo signs on
for 17th yearThe Wahine basketball coach
considered retirement, but
instead committed to one year
Vince Goo had several options at the conclusion of his 16th season as coach of the Hawaii women's basketball team.
Retirement was a possibility. Continuing with the Rainbow Wahine was another.
The 56-year-old coach has decided to remain at the Manoa campus for at least one more year. Goo, whose present five-year contract expires Aug. 16, met with UH athletic director Herman Frazier on Wednesday and has agreed on a one-year contract.
"I feel a coach should hold up his end of a contract," said Goo. "I didn't want a multi-year contract because I wasn't sure I could do that (commit for several years).
"I requested the one-year contract and Herman agreed," said Goo, adding that the contract will be signed soon. "Herman said we would sit down in October or November and discuss what we want to do after one year."
Goo said job security was not a priority, as it was five years ago. He considered retirement during the past three months, but declined to say whether he ever seriously leaned in that direction.
"Retirement was an option, so you have to think about it, but I don't really think all of this was such a big thing," said Goo.
Goo met with Frazier in May for the annual budget meeting and end-of-year interview and came away feeling reassured by the new administration.
"You have to have that and it was the first time I felt that," said Goo. "There are two ingredients involved in making a decision. Is there a university that still wants you to coach, and is that coach still interested in coaching at UH? If you have both, then you will have success?"
Frazier did not give Goo a deadline for making a decision, simply telling the coach to let him know when the decision was made.
"Vince came in and met with Marilyn (Moniz-Kaho'ohanohano, senior woman administrator) and I. We just talked about the future," Frazier said.
"Vince has done such a terrific job here. I told him I don't want to hear anything about retirement until he at least has some sort of farewell tour. We don't even want to talk about that. Never, ever did he come in here and talk about a raise."
In a few weeks, Goo will head out on the recruiting trail, then return to prepare for his 17th season as Wahine head coach.
Goo became head coach in the 1987-88 season after serving as an assistant for three seasons under Bill Nepfel.
The Wahine were 14-14 in his first season. Since then, his teams have won 20 or more games 11 times with just two losing seasons.
The Wahine are 326-146 (.691) under Goo. They have made five appearances in the NCAA tournament.
Hawaii won the first of two consecutive Big West Conference regular-season titles in 1992-93 season with a 17-1 record. A Western Athletic Conference Pacific Division title followed in the 1997-98 season.
Goo is not the only one nearing the end of his contract. Rainbow Wahine volleyball coach Dave Shoji is entering the final year of his contract.
Shoji will start his 28th season as head coach when Hawaii hosts the NACWAA tournament in August. Hawaii is 804-147 with Shoji as coach, and is coming off a final four appearance last December.
"There's nothing that's been said to me yet. We have not (started negotiations)," Shoji said yesterday. "I'm confident that he's (Frazier) going to make me a fair offer. I think they're happy with the volleyball program.
"All they're doing is they've asked us to meet at a later date and throw out some numbers. We have not come to an agreement on a date to meet."
A meeting before Monday, the end of the fiscal year, likely will not happen. Shoji leaves tonight for the Junior Olympic volleyball tournaments.
Star-Bulletin reporters Grace Wen and Dave Reardon contributed to this report.