Chandler Steps Down as Northridge Coach : Basketball: Matador women were 12-84 during her tenure, including 1-26 this season.

Kim Chandler, Cal State Northridge women’s basketball coach for the last four seasons, has resigned effective today, CSUN Athletic Director Bob Hiegert said.

The team finished this season with a 1-26 record. At the end of the season, several players said they were uncertain about returning if Chandler stayed.

“I accepted Kim Chandler’s resignation and she is concluding her duties as head basketball coach,” Hiegert said. “We know that it is a difficult time for Kim, but she’s done an outstanding job under difficult circumstances.”

Chandler’s record at Northridge was 12-84. She was named as a replacement for Janet Martin in 1992 after serving as interim head coach.

Northridge’s only victory this season was over Division II opponent Cal State Los Angeles. The best record Northridge posted during Chandler’s tenure was 6-21 in 1993.

“The decision (to resign) comes as the result of realizing the emotional and physical toll this profession has taken on me the past four years,” Chandler, 29, said in a statement released Friday.

“I took over the program in 1991 in a very very difficult situation, certain that I could make a difference in the quality of the program.

“I leave in 1995 knowing that significant strides have been made within this program.”

Many Northridge players disagreed.

Shannon Crouse was the team’s leading scorer when she quit the team in early March because of a dispute with Chandler.

“Chandler says significant strides were made but I don’t think so,” Crouse said. “Look at our record. If anything, it shows that we regressed.”.

Crouse said she hasn’t ruled out returning to the program.

During the American West Conference tournament earlier this month, the rift between Chandler and the players widened as several of them openly criticized her coaching style.

“We don’t trust her coaching ability,” junior forward Maureen Batiste said during the tournament. “We don’t trust her judgment; she is not honest with us and all of that makes it difficult for us to perform.”

Hiegert defended Chandler.

“What gets lost in this whole thing is the effort she put in for 3 1/2 years,” Hiegert said.

“She had to deal with the funding of the program and a major natural disaster with the earthquake.”

Hiegert said a national search to find a replacement is under way and that Northridge is hoping to name a coach by mid-May.

Two assistant coaches and 16 players left the team during Chandler’s tenure.

“We will be starting over and that could be good or bad,” freshman point guard Pam Karbowski said of Chandler’s resignation.

“It’s been quite an overwhelming year and my eyes have really opened because of this.”