Posted on: Tuesday, June 8, 2004
UH hoops search down to 2
By Stephen Tsai
Advertiser Staff Writer
A second top candidate withdrew from contention for the vacant University of Hawai'i women's basketball head coaching job.
Bo Overton, one of four coaches interviewed by telephone by the search committee, withdrew his candidacy Sunday and then accepted the head coaching job at Missouri-Kansas City.
Overton, the top assistant for Oklahoma's nationally ranked women's team, had described the UH opening as his "dream job." But he apparently could not wait as the UH search dragged into its third month.
"The timing didn't work out," Overton said.
That leaves Jim Bolla, who has not coached in eight years, and Rainbow Wahine assistant coach Da Houl as finalists to succeed Vince Goo, who retired at the end of last season. Goo announced his decision prior to the Rainbow Wahine's final homestand in early March. UH athletic director Herman Frazier formed a search committee in mid-March.
Two weeks ago, the committee conducted separate telephone interviews with Houl, Overton, Bolla and Florida State head coach Sue Semrau. On May 28, Semrau told The Advertiser she was withdrawing from consideration.
Last week, the search committee brought in Bolla for an in-person interview, according to people familiar with the situation. Bolla has declined to comment on his candidacy.
Bolla and his then-wife, Sheila Strike-Bolla, were a successful coaching tandem for the Nevada-Las Vegas Lady Rebels in the mid-1980s, amassing a record of 142-43. On his own, Bolla had six winning seasons for the Lady Rebels, but was fired in 1996 after a 4-21 season.
In June 2000, Bolla told the Las Vegas Review-Journal he was not renewed as UNLV's director of athletic development. Since then, he has developed a barbeque business in Las Vegas.
Houl has not had a formal in-person interview with the committee or Frazier.
Frazier is empowered to select Goo's successor. UH-Manoa chancellor Peter Englert and the school's Board of Regents have final approval.
Reach Stephen Tsai at stsai@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8051.
