The Bubb Years

July 19, 1995

Paul Bubb is appointed interim athletic director after the forced resignation of Bob Hiegert, the athletic director for 17 years.

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March 13, 1996

Bubb fires basketball Coach Pete Cassidy, ending his 25-year reign as Matador coach.

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Sept. 3, 1996

Bubb is suspended five days without pay by President Blenda J. Wilson for failing to stop the spread of a false story. Football Coach Dave Baldwin told reporters linebacker Shayne Blakey underwent an appendectomy when in reality, he was shot at a party.

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June 11, 1997

Baseball, men’s soccer, men’s volleyball and men’s swimming are eliminated from Northridge’s sports program because of budget and gender-equity concerns, provoking outrage in the community.

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Dec. 22, 1997

Four men’s sports teams are reinstated, with Wilson announcing a “long-term commitment” to a “broad-based” university athletic program.

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March 27, 1998

Women’s volleyball player Nancy Ma, accused by two former players of academic fraud, is cleared after an internal investigation by the school.

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May 8, 1998

Faced with fierce opposition from neighbors, a proposed football stadium is pulled from the master plan for campus development.

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May 22, 1998

Northridge forfeits two victories from the 1997 football season for using three ineligible players.

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Oct. 28, 1998

Michael Abraham, women’s basketball coach, is arraigned on charges of possession with intent to distribute 50 grams of crack cocaine.

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Nov. 1, 1998

Bubb reveals three members of the women’s basketball team came to him with concerns nearly two years ago about possible drug use by Abraham. Bubb says he conducted an investigation, found no substantial evidence and did not inform his superiors.