University of Hawai'i men's volleyball coach Mike Wilton will work the remainder of this season under the same terms of a contract that expired May 31, 2005.

Last June, UH athletic director Herman Frazier told The Advertiser that Wilton "will have a (new) multiyear contract." Back then, Frazier said of Wilton, "He's our guy."

But Frazier and Wilton acknowledge they have not had any meeting to discuss a new contract.

Part of the problem is Frazier has not hired a replacement for Thomas Sadler, who resigned as UH's associate athletic director in August 2005. Sadler was used as the point man in contract negotiations.

"We've had so many other things to do," Frazier said.

Also, Frazier said his personal policy is not to conduct contract discussions with a coach while in season.

"We will talk about it," Frazier said.

Frazier is in a situation he had hoped to avoid. In 2003, he told reporters he wanted to sign coaches to contracts before they enter the final year of their deals.

Wilton said he does "not think about" working without a contract.

"I think (the situation) is circumstantial," he said, adding that Frazier "is minus a third of his assistants. ... I'm not worried."

Under terms of the three-year contract that expired last May, Wilton earned about $100,000 annually in base salary.

Frazier said: "I might give him something for this year, and negotiate the new (contract) after that. We'll see."

Wilton is in his 14th season at UH. The Warriors, who have won seven in a row, are ranked No. 4 in both national polls.

Of UH's 19 sports, men's volleyball is one of only four to turn a profit in the fiscal year that ended last June, according to an unaudited budget presented to the school's Board of Regents two weeks ago. The program was credited with a net of $233,114, a figure that included donations, private gifts, and television and radio royalties.

In computing only ticket revenue against operational expenses, the men's and women's volleyball teams were the only two UH sports to turn profits in the last fiscal year. The men's volleyball net was $27,603.

Reach Stephen Tsai at stsai@honoluluadvertiser.com.