UH narrows list of AD to four or five finalists

By Ferd Lewis
Advertiser Staff Writer

The University of Hawai'i has reportedly narrowed the search for its next athletic director to four or five finalists who are being invited to interview this weekend.

People familiar with the search process said most or all of the finalists have experience as athletic directors and represent what is said to be a "diverse" mixture of people.

UH officials refuse to disclose the names of the finalists who will meet with a delegation from the school at an undisclosed location in Dallas Saturday and Sunday, or to characterize their experience collectively or individually.

Eastman & Beaudine, the UH-contracted search firm, is headquartered in Dallas, where the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics annual convention is being held next week.

Former UH football coach Dick Tomey, who has been considered the front-runner since the opening was announced, declined to comment on whether he had been contacted by the school. "I just can't say anything right now," Tomey said. But he said he planned to be in Hawai'i this weekend.

Two other announced candidates, associate athletic director Jim Donovan and former KFVE general manager and UH assistant football coach Rick Blangiardi, said they had not been contacted.

The UH delegation to Dallas is said to include Deane Neubauer, interim Manoa chancellor; David McClain, search committee chairman; Paul Costello, UH vice president for external affairs, and additional members of the search committee.

McClain said the group would total "about a half dozen."

From a group of approximately 50 candidates who had either applied or been nominated for the position, Eastman & Beaudine turned over a list of "10 to 20" semifinalists to the search committee last week. McClain refused to release the exact number, saying only, "it is in double digits but less than 20."

The 18-member search committee then met for more than seven hours Saturday discussing the candidates. Committee members each turned in a "blind ballot" of three to five names who were forwarded to Neubauer, who chose which ones to invite to Dallas.

Costello said UH would pick up the expenses for the candidates, search committee members and UH officials going to Dallas. He was not immediately able to estimate how much it would cost.

UH officials have said they expect to name a replacement for current athletic director Hugh Yoshida by July 1. Yoshida has announced plans to retire in December after serving as athletic director since 1993.