Wilton expected back at UH

By Stephen Tsai
Advertiser Staff Writer

Mike Wilton has reached a tentative agreement to return for a 10th season as the head coach of the University of Hawai'i men's volleyball team.

Mike Wilton's present deal pays $67,500. Advertiser library photo • Jan. 8, 2001

Yoshida declined to comment, saying, "This is a personnel matter."

But the two have scheduled a June 6 meeting to finalize the salary and contract length. The matter then will be forwarded to the school's Board of Regents for approval at its June meeting.

The contract Wilton signed last October will expire Thursday.

Wilton earns $67,500 annually, a base salary that is the lowest among the four head coaches of arena sports. Dave Shoji, who coaches the Wahine volleyball team, earns about $82,000 annually.

Last October, Wilton received a $3,000 raise, his first pay bump since 1996, when the Warriors played in the national championship match. His full-time assistant, Tino Reyes, earns $36,000 annually; Reyes has not received a pay raise since 1996.

Men's volleyball is one of only four profitable sports at UH. The Warriors are projected to net more than $285,000 for the fiscal year that ends June 30.

This year, the Warriors were ranked No. 1 nationally for two weeks and played in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation's championship match. The MPSF is the country's strongest conference. Wilton's UH record is 189-82.

UH also led the country in attendance for the seventh consecutive year.

"I like what we've done here," Wilton said. "I would like to keep trying to build on it."

In related news, Wilton said UCLA was named the host of the 2002 NCAA final four. With sites alternating between the East and West, the next opportunity for UH to serve as host will be in 2004.

But Wilton said UH has made progress in securing the host role for next year's MPSF playoffs. In a meeting this month, MPSF officials proposed holding the quarterfinals, semifinals and championship match at the Stan Sheriff Center.