Pepperdine Hires Chapman Coach

Chapman baseball Coach Gary Henderson has resigned to become an assistant coach at Pepperdine, Henderson said Monday.

Henderson, 32, leaves the university after three years. He was promoted to head coach before last season after former coach Mike Weathers took an assistant job at Cal State Long Beach.

Henderson said he was not searching for another job, but Pepperdine Coach Andy Lopez called several weeks ago and asked to interview him.

“I was actually very happy at Chapman,” Henderson said, “but this is a chance to take a different direction professionally.”

Henderson leaves a baseball program in transition. In 1992, the Panthers moved from NCAA Division II to Division I and were ranked as high as 24th nationally. But midway through the season the university announced that it would move to Division III and discontinue offering athletic scholarships.

Last season, the Panthers were 22-32 with a schedule top-heavy with Division I teams. Six players from that team are expected to return next season, when the Panthers will technically still be a Division I team though their schedule won’t be as demanding.

At Pepperdine, where he will start Aug. 1, Henderson’s main responsibilities will be coaching the pitchers and recruiting.

Chapman Athletic Director Dave Currey said the university plans to hire a replacement by Aug. 1.

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Don Frank has been hired as an assistant men’s basketball coach at Southern California College, Coach Bill Reynolds announced.

Frank, 45, has been head coach the last two seasons at Rio Hondo College, where he took a program that finished 7-48 the previous two seasons to 39-24 in his two years, qualifying for the state playoffs twice.