Less than one week since Steve McClain was fired, the search for Wyoming's next head men's basketball coach is slowly taking shape.

Weber State head coach Randy Rahe has been contacted by Wyoming athletics director Tom Burman, according to the Salt Lake Tribune, after Rahe was named Big Sky coach of the year in his first season at the helm.

Meanwhile, the Rocky Mountain News reported that Wyoming also formally contacted Denver Nuggets assistant coach Mike Dunlap on Wednesday. Dunlap, who said he planned to take two days to decide whether he's interested in pursuing the vacancy, did not immediately return a message left for him on Friday afternoon.

Burman, who has not revealed his list of potential replacements for McClain, is out of town until next week according to his secretary. He could be in California, where Rahe and his 15th-seeded Wildcats lost to second-seeded UCLA, 70-42, in the first round of the NCAA tournament on Thursday in Sacramento. That's less than 200 miles from Fresno State University, where Bulldogs assistant coach Heath Schroyer is another possible candidate given his ties to Burman while they were both at Portland State.

Schroyer and Fresno State athletics director Thomas Boeh did not immediately return messages left for them this week. The Bulldogs lost to Georgia in the first round of the NIT on Wednesday.

Burman said he wanted to move quickly to hire McClain's replacement, but has offered no timetable other than to indicate that he anticipates having the new head coach in place by the time the contracts of Wyoming assistant coaches Silvey Dominguez, David Farrar and Shaun Vandiver expire on April 30.

Burman said the Cowboys' players, who have been on spring break this week, will have a team meeting on Monday.

Contact sports reporter Scott Allen at (307) 266-0528 or scott.allen@casperstartribune.net

THE MIKE DUNLAP FILE

Position: Denver Nuggets assistant coach

Experience: Prior to joining the Nuggets in 2006, Dunlap compiled a 248-50 record as head coach at Division II Metro (Colo.) State. Dunlap led the Roadrunners to two national titles during that span and has also coached as an assistant at Southern California, Iowa and his alma mater, Loyola Marymount.

Local Connection: Has coached in Denver for the last decade.

THE RANDY RAHE FILE

Position: Weber State head coach

Experience: Guided Wildcats to 20 wins and an NCAA tournament bid in his first season, earning Big Sky coach of the year honors. Has coached as an assistant at Colorado, Colorado State, Denver, Utah and Utah State.

Local Connection: Besides his coaching experience throughout the Front Range, Rahe's wife works as a women's basketball official for the Mountain West Conference.

THE HEATH SCHROYER FILE

Position: Fresno State assistant coach

Experience: Prior to arriving at Fresno State before the 2005-06 season, Schroyer led Portland State to the Big Sky Conference regular-season title. Served as an assistant coach under current Fresno State head coach Steve Cleveland at BYU for four seasons and was an assistant coach at Wyoming for the 2001-02 season.

Local Connection: In addition to his one season at Wyoming, Schroyer coached at Portland State for three seasons while Tom Burman was the athletics director.