Former Wake Forest and South Carolina men's basketball coach Dave Odom is a candidate for the coaching vacancy with the Charlotte 49ers, two sources close to the process confirmed Monday.

Reached by phone by the Observer, Odom declined to make any public statement regarding the vacancy or whether he was pursuing it.

When asked if he was retired for good from coaching, Odom, 67, said, "I certainly have not been recluse."

Charlotte athletics director Judy Rose and the school's chancellor, Dr. Philip Dubois, will not discuss any potential candidates during the hiring process.

Odom spent 12 seasons as coach at Wake Forest, where he compiled a record of 240-132. During his tenure the Deacons made eight NCAA tournament appearances and three appearances in the National Invitation Tournament and won the 2000 NIT title.

The Guilford alum was named ACC Coach of the Year in 1991, 1994 and 1995. He led his team to ACC tournament championships in 1995 and 1996.

Odom left for South Carolina in 2001, replacing Eddie Fogler. During his seven-year tenure with the Gamecocks, Odom compiled a 128-104 record, including one NCAA appearance and his teams won the NIT championship in the 2005 and 2006 seasons.

On Jan. 18, 2008, Odom announced he would retire at the conclusion of the season.

During the past two years, Odom has remained active in basketball. He works part-time in fund-raising efforts for Guilford College and in October was named chairman of the Maui Invitational tournament in Hawaii.

Odom is a former president of the National Association of Basketball Coaches and has served on the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Ethics Coalition Board.