Mike Taylor, whose Punahou School teams won four state championships, is one of at least 41 applicants for the women’s basketball head coaching job at the University of Hawaii.

UH, which said the process is ongoing, declined to reveal the candidates or say how many had head coaching or college experience.

A four-member search advisory committee convened Wednesday afternoon to begin the process of selecting a replacement for Dana Takahara-Dias. She was fired March 7 after concluding her third season at her alma mater.

The position carries a pay range of $118,488-$209,784. Takahara-Dias was paid $125,004.

Athletic director Jim Donovan said the new coach’s salary will be commensurate with experience. He said there was no timeline on the process.

“We will go as quick as we can, but not so quick that we don’t get the right person,” Donovan said.

Friends say Gavin Petersen, a finalist for the UH job three years ago and a Wahine assistant for the second time in 2011-12, has said he would apply. But Petersen, who spent seven seasons at Idaho State and Idaho as an assistant between UH tours, was not immediately available for comment.

Both Da Houl, a former Wahine player and 15-year UH assistant coach, and former Rainbow men’s star Alika Smith, who led Kalaheo High to a Division II state championship this year, said they have not applied.

Taylor, 40, was 228-37 at Punahou with eight ILH titles before taking a family break this past season, confirmed that he had applied.

“Opportunities to coach at UH don’t come up too often, so that’s a reason I jumped at (the opportunity),” Taylor said.

He said he is familiar with seven members of the Rainbow Wahine team, having coached them either in high school or on Kalakaua or Cal Storm club teams.

“I’m excited about the opportunity to coach at UH — (the) history, support, academics, new conference, Stan Sheriff Center …” Taylor said in a text. “It is an attractive job and I’m not surprised a lot of people are applying.”