HONOLULU--University of Hawai`i Athletics Director Herman Frazier today announced the hiring of Jim Bolla as the new head coach of the Rainbow Wahine basketball program. Bolla, 52, replaces Vince Goo, who retired following the conclusion of the 2003-04 season after 17 seasons as head coach.

"After a long and extensive search, we are very happy to have Jim Bolla join the University of Hawai`i family," Frazier said. "He brings a lot of experience and success to the position, and I'm sure the fans and the student-athletes will come to like him."

Bolla becomes the sixth head coach as the women's basketball program enters its 31st season. He comes to Honolulu as a familiar face, having competed against the Rainbow Wahine for more than a decade as the head coach of the UNLV Lady Rebels, Hawai`i's former rival in the Big West Conference.

"It's a great honor and privilege to become the new head coach of the University of Hawai`i Rainbow Wahine basketball program," Bolla said. "I've always had great respect for the program and now I have an opportunity to continue the great tradition that Vince has established. I look forward to an exciting future with the program."

During his 14-year tenure at UNLV, from 1982 to 1996, Bolla became the most successful coach in the program's history with a record of 300-120 (.714). He led the Lady Rebels to nine post-season appearances, including seven NCAA Tournament bids, and guided his teams to 11 seasons--including nine consecutive--with 20 or more wins. Bolla guided the school to its highest ranking during the 1989-90 season when the Lady Rebels were ranked second in the nation in both the AP and USA Today polls, before finishing the season with a 28-3 mark.

A three-time Big West Coach of the Year, Bolla produced six All-Americans, three conference players of the year and 24 all-conference selections. His teams won seven regular season conference titles.

Bolla arrived in Las Vegas as an assistant to Sheila Strike's staff during the 1981-82 season. From 1982 to '88, Bolla shared head coaching duties with Strike.

In 1996, Bolla stepped away from coaching to become the Director of Athletic Development at UNLV. As the chief fund-raiser, he generated more than $5 million for the UNLV athletics department, including a $3.1 million gift for the softball and golf programs.

In 2001 Bolla left UNLV and entered the private sector, and in 2003 became the president and owner of Pure Living, Inc.

A native of Pittsburgh, Pa., Bolla was a former standout on the University of Pittsburgh basketball team. He was the starting center for the 1973-74 squad that rose to national prominence with a 22-game winning streak, a Top-10 national ranking, and a postseason run that fell one victory shy of the NCAA Final Four. Bolla graduated from Pittsburgh in 1976 with a B.S. in physical education.

Upon graduation, Bolla served as an assistant for the Pitt men's basketball squad from 1976-79 and helped the school's women's basketball program to a national ranking as an assistant coach during the 1979-80 season.

Bolla and his wife, the former Dallas Boycheck, have been married for five years and have a daughter, Sasha. Boycheck served as the head women's basketball coach at Long Beach State for eight seasons, before stepping down in 2003.

Hawai`i finished last season 8-20 and placed eighth in the Western Athletic Conference with a 6-12 mark. It was the first losing record for UH since 1994-95, breaking a string of eight consecutive winning seasons. A total of 12 letterwinners return for the 2004-05 season, including senior Jade Abele, an all-WAC first-team selection, and sophomore Janevia Taylor, a member of the all-WAC freshman team.

Bolla's Year-By-Year Record

	Overall	Big West


Year	School	W	L	W	L	Notes


1982-83	UNLV	24	4	-	-	--


1983-84	UNLV	24	7	4	0	Big West Champs; NCAA Tournament


1984-85	UNLV	26	5	8	0	Big West Champs; NCAA Tournament


1985-86	UNLV	22	9	11	3	Big West Champs; NCAA Tournament


1986-87	UNLV	21	9	13	5	--


1987-88	UNLV	25	9	14	4	WNIT


1988-89	UNLV	27	7	13	5	NCAA Tournament


1989-90	UNLV	28	3	17	1	Big West Champs; NCAA Tournament


1990-91	UNLV	25	7	15	3	Big West Champs; NCAA Tournament


1991-92	UNLV	16	10	13	5	Big West Champs


1992-93	UNLV	24	7	15	3	WNIT


1993-94	UNLV	23	7	14	4	Big West Champs; NCAA Tournament


1994-95	UNLV	11	15	10	8	--


1995-96	UNLV	4	21	3	15	--

Bolla's Coaching Experience
2004-present Hawai`i, Women's Basketball Head Coach
1982-96 UNLV, Women's Basketball Head Coach
1982-88 UNLV, Women's Basketball Co-Head Coach
1981-82 UNLV, Women's Basketball Assistant Coach
1979-80 Pittsburgh, Women's Basketball Assistant Coach
1976-79 Pittsburgh, Men's Basketball Assistant Coach

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