HONOLULU — University of Hawai’i head basketball coach Gib Arnold announced the resignation of associate coach Walter Roese from the Rainbow Warrior coaching staff. Roese leaves to take on a larger role in his family business based in his native
HONOLULU — University of Hawai’i head basketball coach Gib Arnold announced the resignation of associate coach Walter Roese from the Rainbow Warrior coaching staff. Roese leaves to take on a larger role in his family business based in his native Brazil, while also pursuing coaching opportunities with the Brazilian national program.
“I am very thankful to Coach Arnold and everyone at the University of Hawai‘i who made last year such a very special one for my family and I,” Roese said. “I love Hawai‘i and always will—it means so much to me. I wish everyone at UH all the best and I’ll continue to follow the team. I know they’ll have a great 2011-12 season.”
Roese is a graduate of BYU-Hawai‘i, where he met his wife, Monique. Both of his children—son Leo and daughter Agatha—were born in Hawai‘i.
Roese coached Brazil’s World University Games team for the third time in his career this past summer in China. Last year he headed the U18 Brazilian national team that nearly upset the United States in the championship of the 2010 FIBA Americas.
“Walter did what was best for his family and family always comes first,” Arnold said. “I’m excited for his future and am grateful for the outstanding job he did for us last season. We’re going to miss him dearly and he’ll always be part of the UH ‘ohana.”
Roese previously coached at Nebraska, San Diego, BYU-Hawai’i and Brigham Young—where he became the first Brazilian full-time assistant coach in NCAA Division I men’s basketball in 2005. In just five short seasons on the Division I level, he has seen success at each one of his stops with nearly 100 combined wins and four postseason berths, including two NCAA Tournament appearances.
Last year was no different as he helped UH to a 19-13 record and the school’s first postseason appearance in seven years in the CollegeInsider.com Tournament.
