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Head coach Mark Mallon enters his seventh season with the Golden Bears after leading Cal in 1996 to its first NCAA Tournament appearance in a decade and a combined record of 31-23-5 over the last three seasons.
Under Mallon's direction, Cal's soccer program has become a national contender, rising as high as No. 2 in the nation in 1996, the best ranking in school history.
Mallon joined Cal's staff in 1993 and has built a reputation in just six seasons as one of the nation's brightest coaches. His recruiting efforts continue to attract some of the most talented players in the country, including Jason Thorpe, a member of the U.S. Under-18 National team and a 1999 Soccer America Top 25 recruit; and Patrick Fisher, the 1999 CCS CIF Player of the Year.
The 1999 Bears expect to return to the Top 25, as they benefit from the experience of playing one of the top 10 toughest schedules in the country over the last three seasons. During that three-year stretch, Mallon has orchestrated wins over several Top-10-ranked teams, including UCLA, Washington and Santa Clara, and a tie against Stanford, the 1998 national runner-up.
In addition to the college level, Mallon's soccer expertise has been recognized in the youth ranks. In the spring of 1999, he was named head coach for the CYSA Boys North Olympic Development Under-17 team and director of coaching and player development for the San Ramon Soccer Club.
Mallon's credentials also include both a U.S. Soccer Federation "A" License and the National Soccer Coaches Association Advanced National diploma, and on the international front, the English and Scottish F.A. badges.
The 37-year-old New Jersey native began his coaching career as an assistant at Rutgers University from 1985-87. Mallon then served as head soccer coach at Riverside (N.J.) High School from 1987-89, leading the team to the South Jersey Group I final in '87. After a successful stint at Riverside, Mallon spent four seasons as an assistant coach (1989-92) at Yale. The Bulldogs won two Ivy League titles and reached the NCAA Tournament in 1989 (Sweet Sixteen) and 1991 (quarterfinals), compiling the best four-year record in Yale soccer history.
Mallon earned NSCAA All-America honors at West Chester University, where he received a physical education/sports management degree in 1985. He was drafted to play in the NASL in 1985 but did not compete as the league folded later that year. Mallon played for the United German Hungarian Club of Pennsylvania while earning a master's degree in athletic administration from Temple University.
