University of Hawai’i athletics director David Matlin announced that men’s basketball head coach Eran Ganot has signed a one-year contract extension. His one-year extension runs through the 2020-21 season.
Ganot is in his third season at the helm of Rainbow Warrior basketball team and holds a 45-22 overall record. In his first season as head coach, he guided the Rainbow Warriors to both the Big West regular season and tournament titles, the most wins in school history (28), and the program’s first-ever NCAA Tournament win.
Last season, despite losing his top eight players and working under a cloud of NCAA uncertainty, Ganot shaped a resilient group of players who defied expectations. Picked to finish second-to-last in the preseason Big West poll, the Rainbow Warriors remained in contention for the Big West title until late in the season.
“We’re very fortunate to have a head coach of Eran’s caliber,” Matlin said. “He’s done a phenomenal job of stabilizing the men’s basketball program and setting a foundation for sustained, long-term success. With great strides having been made both academically and competitively, he’s put together a team of coaches and student-athletes that Hawai’i can be proud of. We look forward to Eran leading our Rainbow Warriors for years to come.”
Ganot said: “My family and I continue to be humbled and honored to represent this great program, University, and state. We’re thankful for our administration, Dave Matlin, David Lassner, the great people at the University, and our incredibly loyal fans. We appreciate their confidence in what we’re doing and how we’re doing it. I also can’t say enough about our terrific players and coaches—both past and present—who have given their all to represent this University in the best possible manner on the floor, in the classroom, and out in the community. While we’ve done some good work, it never stops and we remain committed and inspired to accomplish great things ahead.”
The Rainbow Warriors are currently 3-0 after capturing the season-opening Outrigger Resorts Rainbow Classic title, their second such title in three years under Ganot. UH next faces Nevada in a battle of undefeated teams on Friday, Nov. 24.
