Hawaii women’s basketball coach Dana Takahara-Dias today announced the hire of Gavin Petersen, a former UH assistant and University High player, to her coaching staff.

The local-born Petersen comes to UH from the University of Idaho, where he spent the last three seasons as associate head coach under former UH assistant Jon Newlee. He was with Newlee four seasons before that at Idaho State. 

Petersen was a manager and assistant under former UH head coach Vince Goo for five years through 2003-04. Before that, he managed under HPU men’s coach Tony Sellitto for four years while getting his undergraduate degree.

"We welcome Gavin back into the Rainbow Wahine basketball ohana," Takahara-Dias said in a release. "He returns with a wealth of knowledge and experience and will be a great asset to our program. Gavin takes over the reins as our recruiting coordinator while handling our offense. We believe that Gavin will help our program reach the next level."

Petersen was believed to be a candidate for the Wahine head coaching position that eventually went to Takahara-Dias in 2009.

He replaces Sherice Ajifu, the former Wahine director of basketball operations who became an assistant coach when Gabe Henry left the program midway through the 2010-11 season. Ajifu will return to her previous post until June, when she will move on to a marketing job.