Women's Basketball Coach Finalist Comes to CWU for Interview

Jeff Harada, a finalist for the Central Washington University women’s basketball head coaching position, will be in Ellensburg for on-campus interviews on Friday, May 23. Harada, now an assistant coach at the United States Naval Academy, will meet with community members from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. in Student Union and Recreation Center 140.

“We are looking for the very best coach to lead our women's basketball program and one who is both the right fit for our athletic department and the university,” said Dennis Francois, CWU athletics director. “The reason for these candidate forums is to allow anyone interested—from on- or off-campus—with opportunities to meet our candidates, and to provide us with feedback.”

This past season was Harada’s third year on the Navy bench. The team went 24-8 and earned a bid into the post-season Women’s National Invitational Tournament. Previously, he served as the head coach at Hawai'i Pacific for four seasons. During his tenure, the Sea Warriors won 58 games, including a 36-14 record over his final two seasons. In 2010, the team also won its first Pacific West Conference title and advanced to its first NCAA Division II Tournament. Harada was tabbed as the conference coach of the year that season.

A native of Honolulu, Harada lettered in basketball, baseball, and volleyball in high school. He played college basketball at the University of Colorado, which is where he began his coaching career as a volunteer assistant. He later was moved into the role of the team's director of operations. Harada also was an assistant coach for the Hawai'i Pacific men's team before taking over the women’s program.

CWU’s next head women’s basketball coach will succeed Shawn Nelson, who resigned last month after three seasons in the position.

Media contact: Robert Lowery, CWU Athletics, 509-899-0235, loweryr@cwu.edu

May 22, 2014