UNLV women’s coach expected to be hired soon

UNLV conducted its sixth and final on-campus interview Thursday for its vacant women's basketball job, and a decision on the next coach is expected in the coming days.

Sources said the finalists, in order of when they interviewed, are former UCLA coach and UNLV standout player Kathy Olivier, Washington assistant Katie Abrahamson-Henderson, Texas-El Paso coach Keitha Adams, Northern Arizona coach Laurie Kelly, South Florida coach Jose Fernandez and Rutgers assistant Carlene Mitchell.

UNLV athletic director Mike Hamrick did not confirm or deny those were the finalists. Though not speaking about any particular candidate, Hamrick said he was pleased with the final group.

"It's as good a pool that we've had for any job since I've been at UNLV," said Hamrick, who started in August 2003.

Olivier resigned as UCLA's coach after this season after going 232-208 with four NCAA Tournament appearances over 15 years. The former Kathy Ricks was an honorable mention All-American for the Lady Rebels in 1980.

Abrahamson-Henderson re-

cently completed her first season as an assistant at Washington. She spent the previous five seasons as Missouri State's coach, going 95-61 with three NCAA appearances and two regular-season Missouri Valley Conference titles.

Adams led UTEP to a 28-4 record this season, a regular-season Conference USA title and to the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

Northern Arizona was 10-20 this season, but Kelly won at least 20 games each of the two previous years. The Lumberjacks won the Big Sky Conference Tournament and made the NCAAs two years ago.

Fernandez, who has been South Florida's coach for eight years, has guided the Bulls to all five of its postseason trips, including the NCAAs in 2006.

Mitchell has been with Rutgers for seven seasons and its recruiting coordinator since 2004. She immediately landed the nation's third-ranked class, according to All Star Girls Report. Women's Basketball Magazine rated Rutgers' 2006 class No. 1 nationally. The Scarlet Knights played in the NCAA title game in 2007.

Contact reporter Mark Anderson at manderson@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2914.