University of Hawaii women's basketball coach Jim Bolla, who over the summer received a contract extension, is looking to return as the women's coach at UNLV, where he coached for 14 seasons.

"I've applied for the job, and I want the job," Bolla told the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

But, according to the article, UNLV athletic department officials did not include Bolla among the 16 or so preliminary candidates they interviewed at the women's Final Four.

UH athletic director Jim Donovan confirmed that Bolla asked for "permission and we granted him permission to speak with them."

Donovan said, "If a coach wants to coach at another institution, we won't stand in the way. We think that the University of Hawai'i is a great place to coach."

Bolla coached the Lady Rebels from 1982 to 1996 where he amassed a record of 300-120. During that span, he shared coaching duties the first six seasons with Sheila Strike. In his final eight seasons at UNLV, Bolla's teams made four NCAA Tournaments and ranked as high as No. 2 in the 1989-90 season.

Bolla received a four-year extension over the summer from then UH athletic director Herman Frazier. The deal, which includes the current season, would keep Bolla through the 2010-11 season. Bolla's four-year record at UH is 56-57.

Because Bolla's contract was finalized before the salary range for his position was raised by the UH Board of Regents, his pay is still restricted by the previous salary.

The Regents' action raised the maximum from a range of $71,388 to $135,000 to a range of $118,488 to $209,784.

Bolla's original three-year contract called for an annual salary of $120,000.