Team manager will be promoted to assistant coach
By Ann Miller
Advertiser Staff Writer
After looking over 18 applications, mostly from the Mainland, University of Hawai'i women's basketball coach Vince Goo will hire team manager Gavin Petersen for the vacant assistant coaching position.
Petersen graduated in 1995 from University High, where he was an all-Interscholastic League of Honolulu basketball and football player. His father, Craig, is a Western Athletic Conference men's basketball official. Sister Malia is Miss Aloha Hula 2002.
For the past three seasons, Petersen has been team manager for UH, where he is pursuing a master's in Athletic Performance. Prior to that, he was team manager four years at Hawai'i Pacific, where he earned a degree in Justice Administration.
Petersen will replace Jon Newlee, who was hired as Idaho State's head coach after three years at UH.
From the beginning of his search, Goo said the most important quality his new assistant would have was loyalty. Petersen has apparently proved his loyalty and also is capable of coaching all three positions (point guard, wing and post), according to Goo.
The NCAA allows only three coaches to recruit. Ten-year assistant Serenda Valdez has moved into recruiting this past year, helping Goo and Da Houl, who has also been with the program 10 years. They are still looking — primarily in Australia — for one more recruit for the upcoming season.
Petersen, 25, will concentrate in other areas. He hopes to parlay the passion for the game he inherited from HPU coach Tony Sellitto and the passion for detail he is learning from Goo into a successful future.
Ironically, Goo realized how much Petersen wanted to coach last summer when he asked for help getting a job. Goo began to let him sit in on meetings and Petersen sat with the staff at courtside of the state girls high school championship.
"I didn't see anyone leaving last year," Petersen recalled. "Not in my wildest dreams did I think my first coaching job would be in Hawai'i. ... I am honored."
Christa Brossman, who left the UH program this semester after two years as a reserve, has decided to play for Newlee at Idaho State. Brossman grew up in nearby Pullman, Wash. She must sit out the 2002-03 season because of transfer restrictions.
Last season, Idaho State was 10-17 and became the first women's team in Big Sky history to miss the conference tournament after winning it the previous season.
• • •
2002-2003 Tentative Schedule
November
23-25 — Waikiki Beach Marriott Resort Classic (Hawai'i, UCLA, Sacramento State).
29-Dec. 1 — Rainbow Wahine Classic (Hawai'i, Connecticut, Oklahoma, North Carolina, Denver, Gonzaga, DePaul, Fordham).
December
14-15 — Hawai'i Invitational (Hawai'i, Kentucky, UNLV, Long Island).
20-21 — Ala Moana Hotel Paradise Classic (Hawai'i, Texas Tech, Loyola Marymount, Tennessee-Chattanooga).
January
2—*UTEP.
4—*Boise State.
9—*at SMU. 11—*at Louisiana Tech.
18—*San Jose State.
23—*Fresno State.
25—*Nevada. 30—*at Rice.
February
1—*at Tulsa.
6—*Louisiana Tech. 8—*SMU.
15—*at San Jose State. 20—*at Nevada.
22—*at Fresno State.
27—*Tulsa.
March
1—*Rice.
6—*at Boise State.
8—*at UTEP.
11-15—at WAC Tournament (Tulsa).
22-25—NCAA first and second rounds (TBA).
30-April 2—NCAA Regionals (TBA).
April 6 and 8—NCAA Final Four at Atlanta.
* WAC games
