CSUN Mourns the Passing of Hall of Fame Coach Pete Cassidy

NORTHRIDGE, Calif.---The CSUN Athletics Department is mourning the loss of former Matador head men's basketball coach Pete Cassidy who passed away on Friday, Dec. 18 at the age of 86. The longest-tenured coach in program history, Cassidy coached CSUN from 1971-96 and was inducted into the Matador Hall of Fame in 2004.

Cassidy's connection with CSUN traces back to the institution's earliest days when the school was known as San Fernando Valley State College. He played on the first two basketball and baseball teams from 1958-60 and served as team captain on both squads. Cassidy was named Valley State's Athlete of the Year in 1960.
Pete Cassidy Player

After his graduation, Cassidy taught and coached at Montclair Preparatory School before spending five years at Notre Dame High School, coaching basketball and baseball and instructing U.S. and World History courses.

Cassidy would return to his alma mater in 1966 where he served as an assistant coach under Jerry Ball and as the head junior varsity coach. In 1971, he took over the program and would lead the Matadors for the next 25 seasons.

His unforgettable run as head coach would include four California Collegiate Athletic Association championships and three NCAA Division II Tournament berths. Cassidy coached CSUN to his first outright CCAA title in 1978 and the program's first NCAA Division II Tournament berth that season. CSUN reached the postseason again in 1979 and 1985.

After helping the Matadors become a perennial Division II contender, Cassidy guided the Matadors through their transition into becoming a Division I team in 1990-91. His six years as a Division I coach of the program included four years where the team played without a conference.
Pete Cassidy Huddle

Holding the distinction of the longest-tenured coach, Cassidy is also the winningest with 335 career victories. Nicknamed the "Dean of the CCAA," Cassidy won two CCAA Coach of the Year awards as well as two NCAA West Coach of the Year honors. During his tenure as head coach, Cassidy produced nine All-Americans, 45 All-Conference honorees and six CCAA Player of the Year winners while six future Matador Hall of Famers played for him.

Known to many as a legendary basketball coach, Cassidy also taught physical education to countless students for decades at CSUN while serving as the Matador head coach at the same time.

After retiring from CSUN in 1997, Cassidy continued to remain active in the community by serving as the president for the Kiwanis Club of Northridge and on the board of directors of S.O.L.I.D (Support of Law Enforcement in Devonshire). Cassidy also sponsored a scholarship for scholar-athletes in association with the San Fernando Valley chapter of the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame.

Cassidy is survived by his wife of 57 years, Sandy, and his three children, Kevin, Michael and Erin.

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Related Links:
Matador Hall of Fame Spotlight: Pete Cassidy

CSUN Mourns the Passing of Hall of Fame Coach Pete Cassidy

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