Athletes are remembered for the plays they make. Coaches celebrated for the games they win.

And, as Herman Frazier is acutely aware, college athletic directors are defined by the coaches they hire.

Balancing budgets and crafting schedules apparently being somewhat down the priority list of late.

So, it was just a few minutes into a media teleconference following the Riley Wallace press conference Friday when Frazier, the University of Hawai'i athletic director, reminded us of the resume he brings to the search for Wallace's successor as the Rainbow Warriors' men's basketball coach.

"Fortunately for me, I've been through one of these searches, some 4, 5, 6 years ago and that candidate (Mike Anderson) turned out to be a pretty darn good (hire)," Frazier said. "Now, he's departed from that place where he worked (Alabama-Birmingham) and into the Big 12 Conference (at Missouri)."

In 6-plus combined years as an athletic director at UAB and UH, Anderson remains Frazier's signature hire and a point of considerable pride. A rare marquee position filled on his watches.

At UH, Frazier's hires have included a women's basketball coach, a swimming coach, a women's golf coach, a tennis coach, etc. Important positions in the department to be sure. But not the high impact ones that define ADs. Hardly the ones that ADs itch to fill with somebody they can tout as their own person, making a mark at a school.

At UH, Ray Nagel had Dick Tomey and Dave Shoji (through Donnis Thompson). Stan Sheriff had Bob Wagner, Riley Wallace, Vince Goo (through Cindy Mazda), and Mike Wilton and Bob Coolen (through Marilyn Moniz-Kaho'ohanohano). Hugh Yoshida brought us June Jones and Mike Trapasso.

Of course, on the flip side, Nagel gave us Milo Griffin, Sheriff supplied Frank Arnold and Yoshida produced Fred vonAppen.

Frazier is coming up on the end of his fifth year at Manoa and, at this point, you'd be hard-pressed to say what his legacy would be here. There are a lot of initiatives on the drawing board (facility improvements, etc.). And the budget is expected to finally be balanced, though one year in the black among four isn't the stuff of legend. But as far as accomplishments of impact, it is difficult, off the top of your head, to quickly cite much of what he's delivered beyond Jones' groundbreaking contract and premium seating.

So, you know Frazier has been looking forward to making a marquee hire. You see why he's been eyeing the opportunity since Wallace signed off on the contract with the no-extension clause. You understand why Frazier needed Wallace to publicly confirm the departure date so the search could officially get going.

And why, with such a running start, Frazier needs to make the most of the opportunity.

Reach Ferd Lewis at flewis@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8044.