CSUN Runs Out of Finalists

A shrinking list of finalists for the job of women’s volleyball coach at Cal State Northridge evaporated Monday when Mora Kanim told school officials that she would remain as top assistant at Michigan.

Kanim, 27, is the second coach to decline an offer from Northridge. The school’s top choice, Dave Rubio, head coach at Arizona, turned down the job last week.

Complicating matters, assistants Denise Corlett of Stanford and Kelley Sliva of USC say they have withdrawn their names from consideration. Rubio, Kanim, Corlett and Sliva were the finalists among more than 40 applicants for the Northridge position, according to Ron Kopita, the school’s vice president for student affairs.

“We are not going to start the search over again,” Kopita said. “There are other candidates and we will continue the process with them.”

Sources at the school confirmed that an advisory search committee would reconvene Wednesday to consider additional candidates.

Corlett, who withdrew eight days ago, maintains that she would not reconsider. She reportedly was given a raise by Stanford after she helped guide the school to an NCAA championship last fall.

Sliva withdrew Friday, the same day Northridge tendered an offer to Kanim.

Kanim was Northridge’s top assistant in 1990 and ‘91, when she also served as recruiting coordinator. She had been considered a top candidate for the position since former Matador Coach Walt Ker resigned Jan. 7, about a month after two members of his 1992 team filed a complaint with a university committee charging him with sexual harassment.

Kanim said she considered the Northridge position an “unbelievable opportunity” but balked at moving back to the Los Angeles area, where she lived for 20 years before taking the Michigan job.

“The prospect of living in L.A. just isn’t very appealing to me right now,” she said, speaking by telephone from her office at Michigan. “It’s really a different life style here. I love it, and I feel like I just got settled here.”

Michigan was 19-13 last season, Kanim’s first as assistant to Greg Giovanazzi, a former UCLA and U.S. National team assistant. The Wolverines placed fifth in the 11-team Big Ten Conference, their best finish.

“As far as a professional opportunity, (the Northridge job) is great,” Kanim said. “But at this point in my life, I think I want to live someplace different. I’m not an L.A. person I’ve discovered.”