Athletic Director Herman Frazier had proposed a salary range for the head coach of $184,836 to $503,304, but the board opted to cap the maximum pay at $400,000, said Carolyn Tanaka, UH associate vice president for external affairs and university relations.

Riley Wallace has held that position for the past 20 seasons, but his contract expires April 30. Wallace earned $275,000 this season, and $250,000 the first two years of his three-year contract.

"In the end the regents felt comfortable with the $400,000 maximum salary range," Tanaka said.

University President David McClain agreed that "a wider range gives more flexibility to respond to opportunities in the marketplace," she said.

The posted range for the basketball coach's position has been $81,000 to $138,000, but the board had the authority to grant exceptions to that range, as it did for Wallace.

For the associate coach, the regents increased the existing salary range of $50,004 to $78,000, boosting the associate coaches' pay to a new range of $79,500 to $124,656, Tanaka said.