Some Guerrero Moves Are Difficult to Fathom

Colleen Matsuhara and Derek Lawther make tidy bookends.

”. . . we felt that now is the appropriate time to make a change that we felt was necessary,” UC Irvine Athletic Director Dan Guerrero said.

That was in 1994, when Lawther, the Anteater men’s soccer coach, did not have his contract renewed.

The words were a little different, but the action was the same Friday, when Matsuhara, UCI’s women’s basketball coach, was told her contract would not be renewed. Guerrero would not elaborate on his action, other than to say it was “in the best interest of the university.”

With that, Matsuhara became the eighth coach Guerrero has replaced since he was hired in December, 1992.

Among Irvine coaches of accredited NCAA sports, the only ones who pre-date Guerrero are Steve Clark (men’s tennis), Ted Newland (water polo), Vince O’Boyle (track and cross-country), Conni Pomeroy (diving) and Charlie Schober (swimming).

Guerrero does not hide the fact he has tried to reshape the athletic department.

“When an individual first takes over an organization, the most important thing is to assess where that program is,” said Guerrero, who was athletic director at Cal State Dominguez Hills from 1988-92.

“I think it is always a work in progress, just like any organization. You give credit and credence to the good things that are accomplished. You refine and adjust where growth and development are necessary.”

It’s the refining and adjusting that has people scratching their heads.

When the contract of men’s basketball Coach Rod Baker was not renewed after the season, most around Irvine--even Baker’s biggest supporters--simply shrugged. It was something everyone saw coming for a year, if not longer.

Matsuhara’s departure, however, was so unexpected that only five team members could be rounded up Friday for a meeting with school officials. The rest had already left on spring break or could not be located.

Matsuhara’s record made the decision seem unusual. She was 59-109 in six seasons, but things seemed to be going in the right direction. The Anteaters qualified for the NCAA tournament in 1994-95 and reached the Big West Conference championship game this season.

Nor did the Anteaters’ off-the-court performance seem askew. Athletic department officials refused to release the team’s overall grade-point average, but there have been 16 scholar athletes on the women’s basketball team under Matsuhara. In all, UCI has had 28 scholar athletes since 1983-84.

Matsuhara requested an explanation last Friday but was rebuffed. She said she has been advised against commenting on the situation.

Matsuhara, like Baker, did not have a close relationship with Guerrero, whose decision has left people around the athletic department--and those who were once in the department--wondering.

“Dan is a good guy, but he has his own agenda,” said Steve Ainslie, former UCI golf coach whose contract was terminated in 1995. “Colleen was considered a coup when she was hired. She had a rocky start but now seems to have a pretty good team. I’m sure Dan has his eye on somebody.”

Lawther’s men’s soccer team had defeated UCLA, which made the final four that season, and he was named Mountain Pacific Sports Federation coach of the year just before he was released. Ray Smith had guided the women’s soccer team to what was then the best record in the program’s history (12-8) in 1993 and was gone the next May. Matsuhara was two years removed from an NCAA berth.

“Each athletic director has his own people and his own philosophy on what a coach should do,” said Lawther, who coached 13 years at Irvine. “It didn’t matter if I beat UCLA or was coach of the year. The feeling was there was a new regime moving in.”

You can’t disagree with such Guerrero hires as Marine Cano (director of soccer), who has taken the women’s program to a higher level.

Guerrero declined to comment about statements from former coaches. He did say he attempted to retain men’s volleyball Coach Andy Read, a part-time employee, and that women’s volleyball Coach Mike Puritz considered his move to the recreation department a good career decision.

The others--Matsuhara, Baker, Lawther, Smith and Doreen Irish (women’s tennis)--had to live with the fact that coaching contracts, like magazine subscriptions, are not always renewed.

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A women’s coach will not be in place before May, according to athletic department sources.

The Anteaters return everybody from a 16-13 team, including first-team all-conference forward Leticia Oseguera. There were four freshmen who had significant playing time this season, including starting guards Megan Stafford and Shannon Anders. There also is one talented recruit already signed, Woodbridge’s Krissy Dupperon.

With only one scholarship left, who needs overnight delivery on a new coach?

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Coming Attractions

Here is a look at key upcoming games for UC Irvine:

* Men’s tennis hosts the UCI/Marriott Classic Thursday through Saturday.

* Women’s tennis hosts Cal State Bakersfield Thursday and San Jose State Friday. Both matches are at the Racquet Club of Irvine and begin at 11:30 a.m.

* Men’s golf hosts the Anteater Invitational at Coto de Caza Monday and Tuesday.

* Men’s and women’s track teams face Stanford and Oregon Saturday at Stanford.

* Men’s volleyball hosts Pacific Thursday in Crawford Hall and Stanford Friday in the Bren Center. Both matches begin at 7 p.m.