The same day the temporary association of Ned Mircetic and Will Cowen with the Ventura College men's basketball team ended, the Ventura County Community College District began advertising for their full-time successor.

The No. 10-seeded Pirates completed a 24-9 season with perhaps its only lopsided loss of the year, 83-66, at No. 7 Riverside Friday night in the Southern California regional semifinals.

Only hours before, the district posted an advertisement for a full-time coach on its website, http://www.vcccd.edu.

"It's going to be a normal hiring process," said Ventura president Robin Calote. "The district screens for minimum qualifications. There's a standard hiring committee that narrows down the pool and then I do the same."

Applicants must apply by March 29. The district lists the requested start date as Aug. 11.
Calote was asked if the events of the past 16 months would influence the type of candidate for which she was looking.

"I'm looking for a person who has both ability as an instructor and as a coach, and who has an impeccable reputation, strong ethics and commitment to student success," said Calote.

"(Someone who) understand that it's important to do so by working within college and district procedures and Commission on Athletics bylaws."

Ventura officials are preparing for a deluge of applicants.

"I think we're going to have a great pool and there's going to be a number of great applicants from in and out of the state," said Tim Harrison. "I'm sure we'll have a wide variety."

The job became open only two days after the man who filled the position for nine years, Greg Winslow, was arrested Wednesday on five counts of felony grand theft and one count of felony public officer crime, which involves the misuse of public money, allegedly stemming from his actions as men's basketball coach and athletic director.

He remains on non-disciplinary, paid leave.

Cowen begins his new role as the school's athletic director today.

Mircetic, convinced by Calote to steward the program for one year, until the school could fill the position with a full-time hire, returns full-time to his women's program, which is 32-0 and four wins from its sixth state title.

Which, once again, leaves assistant coach Jon Wyers as the only off-season face of the program.