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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Friday, April 2, 2010

Roese to join UH hoops staff


By Dayton Morinaga
Advertiser Staff Writer

Hawaii news photo - The Honolulu Advertiser

Walter Roese

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Walter Roese is expected to be announced as the new associate coach of the University of Hawai'i men's basketball team on Monday, according to several sources familiar with the situation.

Hawai'i head coach Gib Arnold, who is in Indianapolis for the Final Four, said he would not comment on the situation until it is officially released by UH officials.

Most of the paper work to put Roese in place has been completed, but the UH administrative offices are closed today (Good Friday) and through the weekend.

Roese spent the last two seasons as an assistant coach at Nebraska. He was raised in Brazil, and is known for his extensive ties in Brazil and South America.

He is currently in South America — where he is assisting the Brazilian national basketball team — and could not be reached for comment.

Roese is also head coach of Brazil's junior national team, and has helped many Brazilian players sign with college programs in the United States.

Roese also has a Hawai'i tie. He started his collegiate playing career at Houston, but eventually finished at Brigham Young-Hawai'i.

After finishing his playing career in 1994, he stayed at BYUH as a volunteer assistant coach.

Most recently, Roese had stints as an assistant coach at BYU (Provo) from 2005-07, then at San Diego during the 2007-08 season before joining the Nebraska staff.

Arnold has three coaching positions to fill — associate coach and two assistant coaches.

The public posting for the associate coach position closed on March 25. The postings for the assistant positions will remain open until April 8.

Brandyn Akana, a current assistant coach at BYU-Hawai'i, is the leading contender to take one of the assistant positions, according to sources.

Roese and Akana emerged as front-runners last week to join the UH staff.

Arnold said he wanted to interview more candidates for the assistant position this week in Indianapolis. He said he previously interviewed several other candidates in Los Angeles.

Arnold was hired as the new Hawai'i head coach on March 20.