LIVE: Student-athletes, community give testimony over ousting of UH athletics director

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – The University of Hawaii’s abrupt decision to fire its athletics director stunned the community, including student-athletes and longtime supporters of the program.
Craig Angelos had only been on the job for 18 months before he was notified Tuesday of his dismissal by outgoing UH president David Lassner. His last day is Dec. 1.
During his short stint as athletics director, he helped secure full-time membership in the Mountain West Conference, provided charter flights for the football team and was negotiating an apparel deal with Nike.
The UH Board of Regents is hearing testimonies from the public at their meeting on Thursday morning.
Many former and current UH athletes posted on social media, most of them in utter shock at the decision.
Volleyball middle blocker Kurt Nusterer started an online campaign in support of Angelos.
“The one place that hasn’t been represented in this decision making is the voice of the student-athletes,” Nusterer said.
“We all collectively as a student-athletic body have been great fans of him,” Nusterer said. “He’s been one of the most humble and hardworking ADs that we’ve had. He’s done incredible work to make opportunities available to us.”
Hawaii News Now spoke with former KGMB sports director and UH supporter Larry Beil, who says he just talked with Angelos Monday night.
“I’m completely shocked actually, because I had just texted Craig, congratulating him on the new Nike deal and the entrance full-time into the Mountain West Conference,” Beil said. “He texted me back and said, ‘Thank you so much, except they’re firing me tomorrow.’ I thought he was joking at first.”
State lawmakers say they were shocked and disappointed at Angelos’ sudden firing.
Sen. Glenn Wakai says Angelos was doing a good job in a difficult time.
“A lot of the public, not just the Senate, are just shaking their heads as to how can a guy who’s been doing a great job be fired,” Wakai said. “There has to be other issues at play here.
“He was putting up championship teams, saving money, bringing in money then poof, that all disappeared this morning,” Wakai said.
Wakai was the Senate’s leader on redevelopment of Aloha Stadium. His House counterpart on the issue, Higher Education Chair Rep. Andrew Takuya Garrett, was less bullish on the stadium plans, but still impressed with Angelos.
“I was pretty surprised because on the surface, he was doing a pretty good job,” Garrett said.
The lawmakers credit Angelos with helping negotiate a promise of more revenue for UH from its games, navigating a secure place in the Mountain West Conference and reducing UH subsidies for other teams travel. They were also looking forward to new projects.
Senate Higher Education Chair Donna Kim did not comment, despite her reputation for tough questioning of UH officials, including outgoing president Lassner.
“I think people are going to rightfully have pause if they want to consider working at the university,” Garrett said. “I don’t know what the plans are here going forward, and again, just to make it clear, I’m not sure exactly what happened in this particular case and I would love to hear from the university again on why they think this is the best path forward.”
Angelos’ departure also stunned the influential booster community. Outrigger hospitality CEO Jeff Wagoner said he worked well with Angeles.
“He wants to challenge some of status quo because he needs to be able to deal with some of the things that are happening out there that are unique in college athletics,” he said on Hawaii News Now’s Spotlight Now program.
Gov. Josh Green declined to comment, but his director of Business, Economic Development and Tourism, James Tokioka, hinted to Spotlight Now he knew it was coming.
“I do know that there were conversations and concerns with what was happening at the university, and it’s a tough time,” Tokioka said.
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