FORT COLLINS, Colo. -- Chris Denker, head women's basketball coach at Santa Clara University, is interviewing for the coaching job at Colorado State University.

Denker is the first candidate to visit CSU, athletics director Jeffrey Hathaway said Wednesday.

Denker planned to meet Thursday with members of the women's basketball team, athletic department and university officials.

The coaching job came open this spring when Tom Collen quit to coach at Vanderbilt. Collen resigned 24 hours later after Vanderbilt officials learned a resume he submitted to CSU in 1997 incorrectly claimed he had earned two master's degrees from Miami of Ohio.

Collen earned one master's degree but said he believed for 17 years he had earned two.

Denker, 35, completed his second season as head coach at Santa Clara in 2002, Hathaway said. He led the Broncos to postseason appearances in both seasons as head coach.

Santa Clara finished 21-10 and was second in the West Coast Conference with a 9-5 record. The Broncos received an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament.

Before being named head coach at Santa Clara, Denker was an assistant for seven seasons. He was also an assistant coach at Idaho State University.

Colorado State went 24-7 this past season, with an opening round loss to Tulane in the NCAA Tournament.