Bangs Resigns as Irvine Valley Women’s Basketball Coach

Eric Bangs resigned as women’s basketball coach at Irvine Valley College after one season, Athletic Director Aracely Mora said Friday.

Bangs, who has been with the program since its inception in 1995, was an assistant to Lisa McNamee for two seasons before taking over last season. He led the Lasers to a 25-8 record, a second-place finish in the Orange Empire Conference and to the third round of the Southern California playoffs.

Mora said Bangs was concerned that teaching full time at Woodbridge High and running the women’s basketball program at Irvine Valley was too difficult.

McNamee, who stepped down after two seasons to devote more time to her business, will return to run Irvine Valley’s program on an interim basis during the summer.

Bangs had previously been girls’ basketball coach at Woodbridge, where he had a 296-69 record in 12 seasons and appeared in two state title games, winning in 1995.

Tracy Roberts, who was Bangs’ assistant at Woodbridge and Irvine Valley, also announced he would not return to the college this fall. He, too, is a teacher at Woodbridge.

Woodbridge Athletic Director Dave Cowen wouldn’t confirm that Bangs, who was unavailable for comment, is a finalists for the vacant girls’ basketball position.

“We have narrowed it down to a couple of finalists,” Cowen said. “We’ve moved through the process and we hope to have an announcement by next week.”