HONOLULU — The search is officially on for the next athletic director for the University of Hawaii at Manoa.

UH announced Wednesday that UH President David Lassner appointed a seven-person search advisory committee with the goal of making a recommendation for David Matlin’s successor to the UH Board of Regents at their May meeting.

Also Wednesday, UH opened its online application process for the position. Applicants will begin to be reviewed March 13, according to UH’s timetable with screening and interviews to proceed over the ensuing month.

The search committee includes:

  • Michael Bruno, UH Manoa provost
  • Susan Eichor, president and COO of AIO
  • Laura Beeman, UH women’s basketball coach
  • Charlie Wade, UH men’s volleyball coach
  • Al Chee, former chair of Ahahui Koa Anuenue
  • Sabrina McKenna, Hawaii Supreme Court associate justice
  • Scott Sinnett, UH Manoa faculty athletics representative

Bruno and Eichor will serve as co-chairs. Debra Ishii will serve as an ex officio member as UH search advisory committee support.

Matlin, the eight-year leader of UH’s 21-program department at Lower Campus, announced in early January that he will step down on June 2. He continues to operate in his usual capacity and has been visible at UH sporting events.

Matlin has faced pressures in the last year of his tenure. Lassner, too, has not been immune.

UH has termed Matlin’s step-down as a “retirement.” Matlin spoke in January about his rationale for his departure.

Lassner said in a statement, “UH needs a leader who can advance the athletic success of our 21 intercollegiate sports at the same time we maximize the academic success of our 450 student athletes and ensure their physical and mental health and wellness. The successful candidate will display impeccable integrity in their work and the creativity to ensure the financial sustainability of the country’s most isolated Division I athletics program. Our next athletics director must have the insight and agility to lead through the most dynamic and challenging period in the history of NCAA intercollegiate athletics.”

Among its minimum qualifications for the position, UH lists three years of experience in collegiate athletics administration and “demonstrated experience successfully managing a multi-major-sport athletics program or enterprise of equivalent or greater complexity …”

Experience as a senior executive administrator in a Division I NCAA program is listed as a desirable qualification.

Brian McInnis covers the state's sports scene for Spectrum News Hawaii. He can be reached at brian.mcinnis@charter.com.