USC Wants UC Irvine’s Brande to Coach Women’s Volleyball

Charlie Brande, who led the UC Irvine men’s volleyball team to its first winning season, said he has been offered the job as coach of the women’s team at USC.

Brande, a successful club coach in Orange County, said he will make a decision within the next few days.

“It is a very, very tough choice for me,” said Brande, who has a 29-44 record in three seasons at Irvine. “This is the toughest decision I have ever had to make. The administration has been tremendous at UCI and we are going in the right direction.”

Irvine finished 14-11 last season, a school record for victories, and qualified for postseason play for the first time. The Anteaters lost to Long Beach State in the first round of the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation tournament.

Brande was named the conference’s coach of the year.

In three seasons, Brande has taken Irvine from a conference doormat to the No. 10 national ranking. The Anteaters defeated No. 1-ranked Long Beach State, No. 2 UCLA and No. 7 Hawaii during the regular season.

USC officials contacted Brande after the season and encouraged him to apply for the women’s job.

*

Guard Gabe Cagwin, who was suspended and then quit the UC Irvine basketball team, will transfer to Northeastern Junior College in Colorado.

Cagwin, a 5-foot-10 guard, averaged seven points and shot 42% on three-pointers in 17 games last season. He scored 20 points, making five of nine three-pointers, in a loss to Oregon State.

But Cagwin’s season turned sour when Big West Conference play began. He was suspended for a Jan. 14 game against Boise State for violating team rules. A month later, he was suspended indefinitely for “inability to follow team guidelines.” Cagwin asked to be released from his scholarship after the season.