Assistants, opponents
among Bolla’s priorities

The new head coach of Wahine
basketball needs to hire a staff
and add some games

Jim Bolla is in the market for a house. The new Hawaii women's basketball coach is also looking for staff members and opponents.

Bolla returned from wrapping things up on the mainland last week and already had five letters on his desk from prospective assistants. He forwarded them to the UH human resources department.

"We're still going through a state process," he said.

The jobs were officially posted Friday. The associate coach position, which pays between $37,620 and $67,716 per year, closes a week from today. The assistant coach job pays between $27,288 and $46,392 and closes Aug. 16.

Da Houl and Serenda Valdez, who held those jobs under retired coach Vince Goo, have said they are interested.

Bolla said it hasn't been decided if a third full-time position will be retained or eliminated. Gavin Petersen, who held that spot on Goo's staff, is now at Idaho State.

Bolla also wants to fill out this year's season-opening Waikiki Beach Marriott Resorts Classic or add some games to replace it. The three- or four-team tournament was scheduled for Nov. 20 and 21. Pepperdine, one of the scheduled teams, dropped out because of a coaching change, and other teams were not committed. The event's sponsorship is also in question.

If no teams or replacement games are found, the Wahine open their season in the powerhouse-packed Hawaiian Airlines Rainbow Wahine Classic, Nov. 26-28.

The eight-team tourney has three schools -- Georgia, Michigan State and Texas Christian -- that all won at least one NCAA Tournament game last year. The rest of the field isn't too shabby either: Cal, Idaho, Santa Clara and Utah.

"We just found out we're short a couple of games and working on whether to fill those games or not," Bolla said. "It's kind of late, and most teams looking for games are looking for home games. The road is not totally out of the question, but the question is if we want to have that kind of expense."

Playing an elite team on the road is possible, Bolla said, but not likely, weighing all considerations.

"No decent guarantee has been offered, and we don't have a feel yet for how good we'll be. We want to start the season off positive," Bolla said.

Bolla is scheduled to speak at the Honolulu Quarterback Club on Monday.

Correction: UH athletic director Herman Frazier gave Bolla's name to the Board of Regents on June 18, not June 8 as was reported in a July 17 Star-Bulletin article.