Bonvicini Accepts Job at Arizona : Women’s basketball: She leaves the Cal State Long Beach program that she built into a national power for one with ‘great potential.’

Joan Bonvicini announced Friday that she will leave Cal State Long Beach to become the women’s basketball coach at Arizona.

Bonvicini, one of the most successful coaches on the women’s level, was interviewed by university officials in Tucson Wednesday, and although there was a “long list” of candidates, the job was said to be hers if she wanted it.

“We feel very fortunate,” Arizona Athletic Director Cedrick Dempsey said. “We are happy to hire someone with her credentials and are confident she can develop our program into national prominence.”

Financial terms were not disclosed, but Bonvicini will reportedly earn considerably more than her Long Beach salary of $70,000 a year--the most allowed within the California system.

“If I was just emotional, I would have stayed (at Long Beach),” Bonvicini said. “But I try to think long-term. The facility, the support staff and the things they can do for their athletes . . . (There’s) great potential (at Arizona).”

Arizona was coached for the past four years by Joan Olkowski, who resigned after the team finished 6-25 last season, including 1-17 in the Pacific 10 Conference.

Bonvicini, 37, began coaching at Long Beach in 1979, and her teams have never had a losing season while compiling a 325-71 record. Although she has not won a national championship, her teams have participated in every NCAA tournament and have been to the national semifinals twice. The 49ers, under Bonvicini, have won 10 conference titles the past 12 years.

Associate Athletic Director Kay Don said she was not surprised by Bonvicini’s decision to leave Long Beach and added that the search for a new coach would begin immediately.