"About 2 1/2 weeks ago, I was watching a game in San Diego, recruiting for Hawai'i and Coach Savage asked for my cell number," Green said. "So it was a situation where he searched me out."

Green said offer was "quite an opportunity" professionally. He said coaching at a Pac-10 program was a factor and, of course, a financial improvement. He said his base salary will be $55,000, plus a share in revenue from the program's baseball camps.

"Now my wife (Becki) won't have to work," he said. "She can just raise our daughter (Emily Rae, who was born in February)."

Green said he had no previous association with Savage, except for when UC Irvine played against San Diego three seasons ago. "We (the Toreros) happened to hit well in that series," Green said. UH also played at UC Irvine two seasons ago.

Savage had UH coach Mike Trapasso's permission to approach Green. Trapasso is in Taipei with Team USA and will return Monday.

"He's a good man for the job," Trapasso said in a telephone interview from Taipei. "I'm happy for him."

While the Rainbows lose a coach, Trapasso said the hiring shows that the UH program is getting noticed.

Green has 11 seasons of collegiate coaching as an assistant.

During his two seasons in Hawai'i, he had come to appreciate "the spirit of aloha," he said.

"I was happy and content with Hawai'i," Green said. "It's been emotional to me. The people have treated us so well. Hawai'i just grows on you."