DEREK SEDAM
Staff Writer
Pepperdine’s basketball program ended another era sooner than it hoped. After less than two years as the head coach of the men’s basketball team, Vance Walberg resigned last Thursday, citing family issues as the cause. Later in the day, Athletic Director John Watson named assistant coach Eric Bridgeland the interim head coach.
Bridgeland and Watson were both shocked when Walberg made his decision, with the new coach calling the former’s resignation “a surprise” and “a tough situation.”
The unexpected switch came during a rough week for the men’s basketball program. On top of the Waves being blown out by Gonzaga, the Los Angeles Times reported that Watson met with players regarding some of Walberg’s practice tactics.
Walberg reportedly made derogatory comments toward players, but later apologized. The Times also stated an incident with a former player last season in which Walberg made him suck his thumb for “acting like a baby.”
At the press conference introducing Bridgeland, Watson declined to discuss further on the incident. However, he did introduce two other self-reported allegations involving recruiting violations.
“[The program] exceeded the number of days of recruiting that were allotted by the NCAA,” Watson said. “We had an encounter with a parent of a current athlete who has a son in high school that is a prospect athlete. That should not have occurred on that particular day.”
Walberg would not return calls left to his office, but released an official statement: “I’d like to thank [Watson] and Dr. Andrew Benton for the opportunity to come here. It comes down to what I need to do personally and what’s best for my family. I’d like to thank Pepperdine for their support. We’ve got some really good kids on this team, and I wish them well.”
Walberg inherited the coaching job after the firing of Paul Westphal. His first year was as rough as Westphal’s last, finishing 8-23, last in the conference. Currently the Waves are 6-14, last in the conference and have yet to beat a Division I opponent since Dec. 8.
Walberg’s next recruiting class was named the best in the conference and featured four top-100 recruits. Whether the recruits would be let go of their letters-of-intent or not remains to be seen.
“We haven’t thought about that yet,” Bridgeland said. “We’re worried about the current players and their well-being and I’m sure that will come up soon.”
Bridgeland took the team on the road against Saint Mary’s and Santa Clara this weekend, and two notable players were missing from the roster. Sixth-year senior and Walberg’s son, Jason, has left the team permanently, while Jarrad Henry did not travel with the team. If Henry remains, he will be one of only two seniors, and the only player left over from the Westphal era.
It seems that the recent struggles and personnel problems may have taken a toll on Walberg, as could be noted by a phone conversation between him and Memphis head coach John Calipari on Thursday.
“He was just so unhappy with how it was all playing out,” Calipari told the LA Times.
For now, the Waves will try to salvage what has been a disappointing season under interim coach Bridgeland. Bridgeland was successful coaching at the Division III level, with his University of Puget Sound team reaching the Elite Eight of the D-III tournament in 2006 before departing to Malibu to coach under Walberg.
Watson said the university will start thinking about the search for a new coach soon.
“Right now our attention is on the student-athletes and what transpired [Thursday],” he said. “We’ll start thinking about the future right away.”
The Waves dropped games against Saint Mary’s and Santa Clara over the weekend, with a clear change in style and a different player rotation.
They return to action against rival Loyola Marymount on Saturday night at Firestone Fieldhouse.
01-24-2008