University of Hawai'i associate head coach Bob Nash is one of 71 applicants for the UH men's basketball head coaching position.

Riley Wallace's final contract after 20 seasons at UH ends on April 30.

The number of applications might rise as they had to be postmarked by Wednesday, according UH sports media relations director Lois Manin.

Former UH assistant coach Scott Rigot, now a Kentucky assistant, also is believed to be among the applicants for the head coaching job.

Manin said UH is hoping to announce a "hiring committee" next week.

The committee is expected to make recommendations to UH athletics director Herman Frazier, who will submit his choice to the UH administration. The Board of Regents will have final approval.

Wallace announced in December this would be his last season. The Rainbow Warriors finished 18-13.

Frazier said he hoped have a coach in place shortly after next week's Final Four, but did not announce a deadline yesterday.

The regents approved a salary up to $400,000, but it could be slightly higher with the president's approval.

Nash has been on the UH staff since 1981 and the associate head coach since 1987.

Rigot spent three years at UH before joining Tubby Smith at Kentucky in 2002. Smith resigned this week to take the coaching job at Minnesota.

There were 19 Division I head coach openings as of yesterday, according to a list at thesports network.com.