Bozeman Resigns as Coach at Cal

His program under NCAA investigation and his personal integrity under attack, Todd Bozeman resigned Wednesday after 3 1/2 controversial years as basketball coach at California.

Bozeman, who led the Bears to a 63-35 record since taking over midway through the 1992-93 season when Lou Campanelli was fired, submitted his resignation during a meeting Wednesday morning with Athletic Director John Kasser.

Kasser, who said he sought the meeting, recommended to Bozeman that he submit his resignation. Kasser said Bozeman was “very receptive” to that recommendation.

“It came down to, in the best interest of the way things were going, he would resign at this time,” Kasser said during an afternoon news conference. “I believe you cut your losses as soon as you can.”

Kasser said he was advised by school lawyers not to comment on the reason he sought Bozeman’s resignation, but said it had nothing to do with a temporary restraining order issued last week forcing Bozeman to stay away from former student, Suzanne Wilson, 22, who alleged Bozeman threatened her and made telephone calls with sexual overtones.

Bozeman didn’t attend the news conference. In a statement issued later, Bozeman said his resignation was in the best interest of the program.

“Over the past several years, the NCAA and its enforcement staff has, for some unknown reason, targeted me and my program,” Bozeman said. “The NCAA wields extraordinary power in terms of whom it chooses to investigate, when and how.”

He added that the NCAA’s continued investigation of him and the Cal program had become too much of a distraction.

“I respect and love the University of California for the opportunity it gave me,” Bozeman said. “I therefore am not interested in giving anyone an excuse to attempt to bring down a program which I helped build.”

Kasser confirmed Cal’s basketball program is the subject of an NCAA investigation, and acknowledged “there could be a few things out there” that could attract the interest of the investigators.

Last spring, when news of the investigation surfaced, Kasser said he was confident the program would be cleared. But he said his latest assessment was based on an internal school investigation.

Kasser refused to comment on whether the NCAA investigation led to Bozeman’s forced resignation.

Bozeman, who had three years left on his contract, will be paid through the end of the 1996-97 basketball season, Kasser said. His three assistants will be retained through the 1996-97 season.

Kasser said a search has begun for Bozeman’s successor, though he said one of the remaining assistants also could be elevated to the coaching job.

Bozeman, 32, is known as a strong recruiter, but frequently has been criticized for his coaching ability in games.

Despite teams featuring Jason Kidd, Shareef Abdur-Rahim and Lamond Murray, the Bears failed to advance beyond the first round of the NCAA tournament in any of Bozeman’s three full seasons as coach.

Three top players have defected from Cal since the end of last season.

Abdur-Rahim left after his freshman season to go to the NBA, where the Vancouver Grizzlies made him the third overall pick in the June draft. Sophomore forward Tremaine Fowlkes transferred to Fresno State and sophomore guard Jelani Gardner transferred to Pepperdine.

Abdur-Rahim was the Pac-10 freshman of the year last season.