Until three years ago, Tim Boyce never imagined coaching in the islands.

Now his vision will dictate the direction of the University of Hawaii track and field and cross country program going forward.

Having rejuvenated the Rainbow Wahine distance program in three years as associate coach, Boyce will oversee the entire operation as UH’s second head coach since the school reinstated track and field 17 years ago.

Boyce, 51, takes over for Carmyn James, who stepped down as head coach last month to return to Canada. James directed the program’s restart in 2000 after a 16-year absence and hired Boyce to oversee the distance runners prior to the 2014 season.

“I’m super thankful for the opportunity Carmyn extended to me three years ago to come here and more than excited to take over the program and hopefully grow it to an even better level,” Boyce said after the announcement of his promotion on Wednesday.

Boyce’s 23-year coaching career includes seven as head coach at Division III Pacific University in Oregon, which preceded his hiring at UH.

In Boyce’s first season coaching UH’s distance runners, the Rainbow Wahine qualified for the NCAA cross country regionals to end a four-year drought. Their fifth-place finish at last year’s Big West championship marked the team’s highest in a conference meet since 2004.

“In just a short time, Tim has proven his value to our University of Hawaii track and field program,” UH athletic director David Matlin said in a statement. “He has a track record of championships and student-athlete success as a head coach. We are excited to keep him in Manoa and for the future of our Rainbow Wahine program.”

While Boyce will continue to guide the distance runners, he also has plans for the entire program based on his experiences during his first three years at UH.

“The thing we’d like to be able to do is become as balanced a track-and-field team as possible,” Boyce said. “For us I think that means really trying to develop the sprints and relays to a higher degree. We’ve had some really good success the past few years in the throws and during Carmyn’s tenure she had some awesome heptathletes and jumpers. We’d like not to lose that focus, but also be a program that has qualifiers and point scores in the sprints, hurdles and relays on a consistent basis.”

UH placed ninth at the Big West track and field championships in May and qualified three athletes — sophomore Karen Bulger (javelin) and freshmen Lily Lowe (high jump) and Alexis Brenzil (javelin) — for the NCAA West preliminaries.

Among Boyce’s first priorities will be to fill out the coaching staff. Along with James’s departure, throws coach Josh Aydlette is moving home to South Carolina. Spencer Chang also stepped down after a decade as a volunteer coach specializing in pole vault.