PORT ANGELES — The Peninsula College committee in charge of hiring a new men’s basketball coach has begun interviewing candidates.
“The head men’s basketball [coach] search at Peninsula College is in the interview process,” vice president of student services Jack Huls, who is the chairman of the hiring committee, said in an email forwarded to the Peninsula Daily News by athletic director Rick Ross.
“A public announcement will be made once a position has been offered and accepted.”
On July 10, Ross said the school expects to announce a new coach by the end of the month.
The new coach apparently will be down a player, though not one who has suited up for the Pirates.
Noah Everly, a recruit from San Marin High School in Novato, Calif., wrote on his Twitter account (@Neverly23) last week that he will be playing for former Peninsula coach Lance Von Vogt next season.
“Will not be attending Peninsula College this fall. Due to a coaching change, I will be going and playing at William Jessup University,” Everly wrote.
William Jessup is located in Rocklin, Calif., which is approximately an 100-mile drive from Everly’s hometown of Novato.
Von Vogt left Peninsula College for William Jessup University last month.
The Pirates hope to have five returning players next season.
Three of those returners played a significant role on last year’s team that went 18-12 (8-6 in the NWAACC North Division) and qualified for the NWAACC championship tournament last year: Leading scorer Xavier Bazile (18.7 points per game), starting point guard TreShawn King-Dunbar and versatile contributor Aaron Clark.
The other returners are guards Domach Domach, who appeared in eight games last season, and T.J. McKinney, who redshirted.
Along with Everly, Von Vogt also received letters of intent from Dustin Watts (Renton), Jal Deng (Anchorage, Alaska), Caleb Dozier (Tigard, Ore.) and Davasayia Hagger (Beaverton, Ore.).
Depending on how many of those players decide to play at Peninsula College next season, the new Pirates coach will have to hit the recruiting trail in the NWAACC area of Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Alaska, California, Montana, Nevada, Hawaii and British Columbia to fill out the roster.
Earlier this month, Ross wrote in an email that Peninsula College received more than 25 applications for the coaching position, and that among the applicants were “coaches with NCAA Division I and II head coaching experience, community college head coaches, one high school head coach, as well as assistant coaches from all levels desiring to move up.”