There are few jobs out there that Dwight Gunnare would like to have more.

In fact, he's turned down opportunities to apply for Division I and Division II positions, opting instead to take aim at just one job opening.

Gunnare has his eyes on coaching the Casper College women's basketball team.

"I want to be a junior college basketball coach and I think this is one of the best jobs out there, ever," Gunnare said Wednesday in between interviews and question-and-answer sessions with the T-Bird team and boosters and fans. "This is just a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity as far as my coaching goals go.

"It was very intriguing from the start and I'd love to have the opportunity to continue the success here."

The position opened last month when Angelo Hill announced he was resigning to move back to New Zealand. Gunnare was the third of four finalists to interview for the position this week.

It certainly wasn't his first time in Casper, though. Gunnare has been the head coach with Region IX foe Miles City (Mont.) Community College since 2002, leading the Miners to a 31-2 record this past season and an appearance in the Region IX Tournament title game.

"It speaks volumes for Casper College -- the fact that we got over 50 applications for this position and that other coaches within this region were applying," said Bill Landen, associate vice president and athletic director at Casper College.

Gunnare, who grew up in South Dakota but has spent the last 26 years teaching and coaching in Montana, would probably make the easiest transition to Casper of the four finalists.

Not only has he spent plenty of time recruiting players from the region, but he has files and gamenotes on every single Region IX team and every returning coach.

"That's one thing, too, that I think was very intriguing -- right now we're getting kids out of Colorado and Salt Lake and Montana and then our international group is coming from Poland, so that wouldn't change, we'd just be much more centrally located," Gunnare said. "I believe it fits perfectly for where our recruiting contacts are right now."

But what separates Gunnare apart from the other three finalists most is his desire not just to get to Casper, but to make it a long stay.

B.J. Smith and Mike Jacobsma, who interviewed earlier in the week, each said they want to make a lasting impact with the T-Birds, but also mentioned they didn't want to predict the future.

It's clear that Gunnare's future is at the junior college level.

"I was approached for a Division II position to apply for and a Division I position to apply for and I'm not interested," he said. "I love coaching junior college basketball. You can't ever say never, but I don't see myself doing anything but. This is not a springboard for myself."

"I'd be hard-pressed to get a better junior college job."

n LAST FINALIST INTERVIEWS TODAY: Matt Legerski, the fourth and last finalist to interview with Casper College, will do so today.

The process includes a question-and-answer session with the public at 5:15 p.m. at Swede Erickson Thunderbird Gym.

Legerski, currently an assistant with the Utah women's basketball program and a native of Rock Springs, is the nephew of Wyoming women's basketball coach Joe Legerksi.

"Obviously the name gets the attention right away, but it really was not the name so much as it was that we received a couple of phone calls of recommendation that this was another up-and-coming coach that someday is going to be a great head coach," Landen said. "It's just a matter of when and how he gets that opportunity."

Contact sports reporter Eric Schmoldt at (307) 266-0578 or eric.schmoldt@trib.com.

COACHING TRACKER

n WEDNESDAY: Dwight Gunnare, head coach of the Miles City Community College women's basketball team and the third finalist for the open coaching position at Casper College, interviewed at the school.

n GUNNARE'S RESUME: After growing up in South Dakota, Gunnare has spent the last 26 years coaching and teaching in Montana. The coach at Miles since 2002, this past year's team went 31-2 and advanced to the Region IX Tournament title game.

n HE SAID IT: "I want to be a junior college basketball coach and I think this is one of the best jobs out there, ever." -- Gunnare.

n UP NEXT: The last of four finalists, Matt Legerski will interview with Casper College today, a process that includes a question-and-answer session with the public at 5:15 p.m. at Swede Erickson Thunderbird Gym.

Legerski is an assistant with the Utah women's basketball team and is the nephew of Wyoming women's basketball coach Joe Legerski.