Wilton will meet with BYU

By Stephen Tsai
Advertiser Staff Writer

University of Hawai'i men's volleyball coach Mike Wilton will meet with Brigham Young University officials next week to discuss the Cougars' vacancy at head coach.

BYU is seeking a replacement for Carl McGown, who resigned at the end of the season.

BYU athletic director Val Hale received permission from UH athletic director Hugh Yoshida to contact Wilton.

"I want to stay here, but I promised I would listen to the other side," Wilton said. "It would be a prudent thing to listen to what they have to say."

Wilton's contract expires in August. He had sought multi-year contracts since a three-year deal lapsed in 2000. Since then, he has received two one-year extensions.

Yoshida said he would like to extend Wilton's contract to the point where Wilton could end his coaching career at UH.

Wilton, a close friend of McGown, is a member of the Mormon church, which administers BYU. One of his sons attends BYU and a daughter attends Utah State. But Wilton and his wife also have four grandchildren living in Hawai'i.

Wilton said he is in a "very different position" than he was in past contract negotiations. While he wants security for his long-time assistant Tino Reyes and clerical help for the office, he is not making any demands of UH.

"For sure, I want to listen to Hawai'i," Wilton said. "I'm not seeking anything. I want to listen to what (UH officials) have to say."

Meanwhile, the national champion Warriors finished No. 1 in the USA Today/American Volleyball Coaches Association poll. But despite defeating Pepperdine in four games in the title match of the NCAA Championships, the Warriors were not a unanimous selection. UH received 15 first-place votes. Pepperdine received one.

"I guess somebody was a Pepperdine fan," Wilton said. "Maybe somebody was on a camping trip May 4."

UH outside hitter Tony Ching said: "We got the national championship. That's all I care about."