Biola’s Holmquist Celebrates 400th Victory

It was a quiet New Year’s Eve for Biola men’s basketball Coach Dave Holmquist--but it was not without significance.

Holmquist, 42, became the youngest active coach with 400 victories when Biola defeated Grace College of Indiana, 90-76.

“Well, that’s what they came up with--being the youngest active coach,” Holmquist said of the school’s media relations department. “I’ve been fortunate to coach fine athletes and fine people. It has caused me to reflect more on past years and the friendships.”

Holmquist, in his 15th season, is 402-129. That’s nearly 26 victories per season. He has won seven National Assn. of Intercollegiate Athletics District 3 championships and been voted the District 3 Coach of the Year four times. In 1982, he was the NAIA national coach of the year.

Cliff Hamlow was 40 when he won 400 games in 21 seasons for Azusa Pacific. He retired in 1988 with 570.

Indiana Coach Bob Knight was 44 when he reached 400 victories in his 20th season and David Lipscomb Coach Don Meyer was 44 when he reached the milestone in his 18th season.

But there was not a lot of hoopla about the victory.

“It was actually pretty quiet,” he said. “Everyone was gone--the place is pretty empty because of Christmas break.

“I’m glad it was more toward the beginning of the season. Toward the end of the season, you have more things to think about. I think it was better to have it at a quiet time: I prefer now, as opposed to around playoff time.”

This year’s team started off 6-6, but seems to be coming around after winning six consecutive games.

When Holmquist started, he had different expectations.

“I think when I started out, I was just taking it a year at a time to see if I would enjoy it,” he said. “It has been very enjoyable. At this level you make a lot of good friends. A lot of them have called and said some very nice things, and our administration has always been very supportive.

“I think it just sneaks up on you, in terms of how long you coach.”

But because of Holmquist, Biola doesn’t sneak up on anyone.

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Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, which will move from Division II to Division I next year, started an internal investigation of possible NCAA violations by its baseball program last week.

The NCAA has been notified, but hasn’t started an investigation of its own.

The university has started an investigation chaired by Charles Crabb, San Luis Obispo’s interim associate vice president for academic resources.

The alleged violations came from boosters and/or coaches to help several students pay for tuition. The university was tipped off when a parent of one of the athletes asked Athletic Director John McCutcheon about the money. McCutcheon then confronted the coach and contacted the NCAA.

The players will remain eligible to practice up until San Luis Obispo’s first game on Feb. 4. The university hopes to have the investigation concluded by then.

Coach Steve MacFarland voluntarily separated himself from the baseball program to help the investigation. MacFarland, who has coached since 1983 and whose team won the Division II championship in 1989, has been assigned to non-baseball duties within the athletic department until the investigation is completed.

Kent Agler, an assistant coach, will coach the team during the investigation.

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Marine Cano is leaving Cal State Dominguez Hills to take over the soccer programs at UC Irvine. He will have the title of director of soccer and be the coach of the women’s program.

Cano has coached the Toros’ women’s team for nine years and the men’s team for eight. He will leave Dominguez Hills on Jan. 21.

Although his men’s teams were competitive (83-72-17) and won the California Collegiate Athletic Assn. title in 1988, Cano’s women’s teams have been the prominent program, winning the NCAA Division II championship in 1991.