Ex-UCLA Coach Hazzard Removed From UC Irvine’s Candidate List

Former UCLA coach Walt Hazzard has been eliminated from consideration for the UC Irvine men’s basketball coaching job, a source said Sunday.

Hazzard, who guided UCLA to the 1985 National Invitation Tournament title and an NCAA tournament appearance in 1987 during four seasons at the school, was fired after the 1988 season. He is still employed by UCLA, and currently works with the Young Black Scholars program.

Irvine, expected to name a coach soon, narrowed its field to four finalists. Two coaches--Seton Hall assistant Rod Baker and Arizona assistant Jessie Evans--confirmed that they were interviewed for a second time in Irvine last week. Another finalist is Princeton assistant Jan van Breda Kolff, the son of former Laker coach Butch van Breda Kolff. The fourth is believed to be Notre Dame assistant Matt Kilcullen.