Oates Vows to Continue Legacy of Predecessor : College basketball: New Master’s coach follows Hankinson with 30 years of experience, more than 500 victories.

Bill Oates, who was named Sunday to succeed Mel Hankinson as basketball coach and athletic director at The Master’s College, pledged to “continue the winning tradition” established by Hankinson over the past five years.

Oates, 53, who has served as basketball coach for Menlo College in Atherton since 1988, brings to the Mustangs his own winning tradition. Oates has totaled more than 500 victories in more than 30 years as a head coach in the college ranks.

Oates compiled an 80-51 record in five seasons at Menlo after stints at St. Mary’s from 1979-86 and Santa Ana College (now Rancho Santiago) from 1968-74. His crowning achievement was coaching the Athletes In Action team to a National Amateur Athletic Union championship in 1976.

Oates, who played basketball at Occidental College before graduating in 1961, coached the Athletes In Action team from 1974-79.

“I’m very excited and enthusiastic about the job,” Oates said. “It’s a great college and a Christian school with devoted Christians. It’s just a great school.”

Oates said the Mustangs will operate a pressuring defense and up-tempo offense. “We’ll probably have pretty much of a balanced attack,” Oates said.

With Athletes In Action, Oates compiled a 171-28 record against college programs from across the country and amateur teams from around the world. AIA won the national title in 1976 and the western hemisphere championship in 1977.

At St. Mary’s, a Division I school, Oates led the Gaels to a West Coast Conference championship in 1980 and posted winning records in conference play four times. Oates’ Santa Ana teams were 105-55 and won three South Coast Conference titles. Oates was named South Coast Conference coach of the year in 1971, ’72 and ’73.

Oates, who said he soon will move to Southern California from his home in Moraga, earned a master’s degree in secondary school administration from Cal State Los Angeles in 1967.

Hankinson resigned last month to become an assistant at West Virginia. He led Master’s to playoff appearances in each of his five seasons and was named National Christian College Athletic Assn. coach of the year last season after leading the Mustangs to a 20-12 record.