At least two prominent local figures whose names have cropped up in speculation about the vacant University of Hawaii athletic director’s job said they are not candidates.

Rockne Freitas, UH’s acting athletic director, and Mufi Hannemann, former Honolulu mayor, said they do not intend to apply.

Two others, Keith Amemiya, former head of the Hawaii High School Athletics Association, and Rick Blangiardi, general manager of Hawaii News Now, declined comment.

Freitas, a UH vice president, has served as acting AD since July 11, and Manoa chancellor Tom Apple said Monday a national search will be held for Jim Donovan’s permanent successor.

UH had not posted the AD position on its website Thursday afternoon and did not say when it might be listed. Nor did UH say whether a decision had been made on hiring a search firm or when a selection committee would be convened. "This information is not available yet," spokeswoman Lynne Waters wrote in an email.

But Freitas said, "I’m not going to apply. Definitely not.

"The (AD) job is a challenging position and I like challenges, but I’m a vice president. I want to (remain) a vice president."

Freitas, a former All-Pro NFL lineman, had sought the AD job in 2008. He served as an associate AD in the 1980s.

Hannemann said the UH job "has not crossed my mind at all. Quite frankly, this is not something that is on my radar screen right now." An unsuccessful candidate for Congress in last Saturday’s primary, Hannemann said, "I’m not thinking of anything at this point other than cleaning up my campaign, thanking my supporters, spending time with my family."

Hannemann, a former Harvard basketball player, has played a major role in negotiating Hawaii’s Pro Bowl contract with the NFL.

Amemiya was executive secretary of the HHSAA for 12 years until being named executive administrator and secretary of the UH Board of Regents in 2010.

Blangiardi, a former UH football player and coach, has spent more than 30 years in the television industry on network and local levels.