Hawking Signs Contract With Fullerton

Bob Hawking signed a contract to return as Cal State Fullerton men’s basketball coach Wednesday, saying, “I know it’s the right move for this university and the basketball program.”

Terms of the contract were not disclosed. Hawking declined to comment on the details.

“I’m pleased that we’re going to continue the building process,” said Hawking, whose previous three-year contract expired Tuesday.

Hawking, 48, completed his fourth season as Titan coach with a 38-70 record. Fullerton was 12-16 last season, but won four of its last seven games and reached the Big West tournament semifinals for the first time since 1989.

“We expect to be improved next year,” Hawking said. “We lose some quality seniors, but we think the players we’ve signed are better players than players we’ve signed as freshmen in other years.”

The four high school players signed in the fall are guard Brandon Campbell of Cardinal Ritter High in St. Louis, guard-forward Josh Helbig of East Belleville (Ill.) High, point guard Matt Donahue of Etiwanda and center Mitch Deve of Albuquerque. Hawking said he has two scholarships remaining.

Hawking’s chief recruiter, Ronnie Dean, resigned two weeks ago, accepting a similar job at the University of New Orleans. Dean said then he would have remained at Fullerton if Hawking’s status had not been uncertain at the time.

Hawking said Todd Johnson, who has been in the restricted-earnings, third assistant position, would move into one of the two recruiting positions immediately on an interim basis. Johnson, who played for Hawking at Simi Valley High, is a candidate for the full-time position, Hawking said.

The spring signing period begins next Wednesday.

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Jill Matyuch has resigned as an assistant women’s basketball coach at Cal State Fullerton, the school announced.

Matyuch, a former Titan basketball and softball player, plans to return to a teaching position at the high school level. She taught and coached softball and basketball at Covina Charter Oak High prior to serving as an assistant to Coach Denise Curry last season.