Cypress’ Livsey to Take Year Off; Van Voorhis to Fill In as Coach

Bob Van Voorhis, a former longtime basketball coach at Fullerton High School, has been appointed interim women’s basketball coach at Cypress College, the school announced on Wednesday.

Gerry Livsey, who has coached at Cypress the past 13 seasons, is taking the year off from coaching, but plans to return next season.

Van Voorhis, also a math teacher at Fullerton, coached the boys’ basketball team from 1964-84, winning five league titles. Van Voorhis, 51, is the brother of Dick Van Voorhis, Cypress’ athletic director.

“I’m very excited to be coaching at Cypress College,” Bob Van Voorhis said. “Even though it’s on an interim basis, I will do my best to recruit the top women players from the area and try to make Cypress once again a top contender.”

Livsey had a 205-129 record in her 13 seasons. Her Cypress’ teams won 20 games seven times, including a team-record 24 games, in 1988. Cypress won the Orange Empire Conference title in 1988, but lost to Golden West in the second round of the playoffs.

Last season, several players were sidelined because of injury and personal reasons, forcing Cypress to fold before the start of the Orange Empire Conference season. Cypress had a 6-12 non-conference record at the time it folded.