Posted on: Wednesday, May 1, 2002

Wallace works under an expired contract

By Dayton Morinaga
Advertiser Staff Writer

Riley Wallace is still the head coach of the University of Hawai'i men's basketball team.

For now, and probably for the rest of this summer, that means working under a contract that technically expired yesterday.

Wallace said that he will wait until a new athletic director is hired at UH before signing a new contract.

"We're tabling it for now until the new guy comes aboard," said Wallace, who completed his 15th year as head coach of the Rainbow Warriors last season.

Senior forward Mindaugas Burneika placed a sign on Wallace's door yesterday that said "Looking For Job." Wallace, however, is confident a new contract will be signed before the end of summer.

Current athletic director Hugh Yoshida's retirement will take effect at the end of this year, but the UH administration has said that it would like to bring in a replacement by this summer.

Yoshida said the contract "will get done as soon as possible," and will probably have a retroactive clause, meaning Wallace will be compensated for any lost salary between today and the day his new contract is signed.

Last season, Wallace was paid a base salary of $120,000. He did not want to reveal any potential figures in the new contract.

Wallace said negotiations have already started but will probably be put on hold until the new athletic director is hired. Until a new contract is signed, Wallace will continue to be paid under conditions of his old contract.

Wallace is the winningest coach in UH basketball history with a career record of 243-204. He was named the Western Athletic Conference Coach of the Year last season after guiding the 'Bows to a 27-6 record and a second consecutive appearance in the NCAA Tournament.