At a recent Board of Regents meeting, new University of Hawai‘i president Wendy Hensel provided multiple new updates on UH-Mānoa's athletics director vacancy.
The position was officially posted earlier this month, while the search process is being spearheaded by national firm Parker Executive Search.
In the BOR meeting, Hensel said Parker Executive Search is "actively now recruiting candidates from across the country, and here in Hawai‘i, they have already conducted a series of listening sessions with key stakeholder groups, including coaches, staff, student-athletes, faculty, alumni and community partners to inform and guide the search process."
Hensel acknowledged the ever-changing collegiate sports landscape and how upcoming changes will affect UH as it relates to the new AD.
"As we all know, there's a lot going on in collegiate athletics right now," Hensel said. "Our current timeline anticipates that Parker will present a pool of qualified applicants in the next few weeks, followed by the first round of interviews and background checks. If all continues as planned, I expect to bring a finalist to this board by mid-summer, if not sooner.
"I hope you can tell from the process that we're following, however, that while we are moving efficiently, we are not rushing the process because of the significance of this selection. It is critical, and our goal is to conduct a thorough, transparent and inclusive search that ensures we attract the very best possible candidate for this important role."
Hensel also said the next athletics director will sign an agreement different than former UH AD Craig Angelos, who officially served as UH-Mānoa athletics director from June 5, 2024 to Dec. 1, 2024.
Angelos' salary was in the "mid-$300,000s," Hensel acknowledged. He was also an at-will employee, meaning he did not have a formal contract. Hensel intends to give the next athletics director a formal employment contract.
UH, which is currently a member of the Big West Conference, is currently a member of the Mountain West Conference as a football-only member. The Rainbow Warriors and Rainbow Wahine will join the Mountain West as full-time members beginning in the summer of 2026.
Hensel said she hopes to give the next athletics director a salary commensurate with other ADs in the Mountain West, with a base salary starting at $400,000, with up to an additional $100,000 that can be earned with incentives such as team performance, student-athlete GPAs, fundraising and other areas.
Christian Shimabuku can be reached at christian@alohastatedaily.com.
