June 27, 2002
BERKELEY -
Peter Asch, who has served as Cal's men's and women's water polo coach the past several years, will not return to the university next season, Athletic Director Steve Gladstone announced Thursday.
Asch, a former Cal All-American and a member of three athletic halls of fame (U.S. Water Polo, International Water Polo and University of California), spent four seasons with the Golden Bear women's program and led the team to a 97-33 record, including national Top 5 finishes each year. He was named Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Coach of the Year in 2000. Last season's squad was 18-8 and ranked fifth in the final poll.
Asch was also 46-26 in three years as head of the men's team at Cal, taking over the program in 1999 following the death of head coach Steve Heaston. During Asch's tenure, the Bears did not qualify for the four-team NCAA Tournament despite finishing ranked among the Top 3 in the nation every year, including this past fall when Cal was second in the final poll.
"Peter Asch is a quality person and one of the icons in the sport of water polo," Gladstone said. "We are grateful for the hard work and dedication he has given to our program. He began his coaching tenure here under very difficult circumstances, and we will always appreciate the class and professionalism he brought to the position."
Gladstone said a search for a new coach would begin immediately. He also indicated that separate coaches would be hired for the men's and women's programs.
"We will continue to aspire to have a world-class water polo program," Gladstone added. "It is our intent to find the very best coaches to lead these two teams."
