Cal Sports: Former Cal Athletic Director John Kasser Dies at Age 82

Overseeing the expansion of Harmon Gym into Haas Pavilion was his biggest accomplishment

John Kasser, who served as Cal athletic director from 1993 to 2000 and oversaw the renovation of Harmon Gym into Haas Pavilion, died on Thursday after reportedly being hospitalized briefly for a heart-related issue. He was 82.

Under Kasser's direction, the Golden Bears won nine national team championships, with six coming in rugby, two in men's gymnastics and one in men's rowing. He also hired 14 head coaches, including Ben Braun (men's basketball), Steve Mariucci (football), Tom Holmoe (football) and Rich Feller (volleyball).

He was hired by Cal on Dec. 3, 1993, and assumed his duties a month later, soon after Cal beat Iowa in the Alamo Bowl to complete a 9-4 football season. The Bears did not have any winning seasons in football during Kasser’s time as the Bears’ AD.

The Bears had more success in basketball, getting to the NCAA tournament three times, including two trips to the Sweet 16, while Kasser was AD.

Kasser forced the resignation of Todd Bozeman as head coach in August of 1996 amid allegations Bozeman made payments to the parents of a Cal players and a sexual harassment complaint against Bozeman. Kasser hired Braun as Bozeman’s replacement. 

Kasser's biggest project was Walter A. Haas Jr. Pavilion, which opened in the fall of 1999 and serves as the home of Cal's basketball, volleyball and gymnastics teams, as well as many administrative offices. The two-year, $60 million project consisted of a complete transformation of old Harmon Gym, which was built in 1933, into a modern, 12,000-seat facility.

He also oversaw the renovation of Edwards Track Stadium and the conversion of the playing surface at Memorial Stadium from astroturf to grass.

When Kasser resigned at Cal the upgrade project at Memorial Stadium was in its early stages.

Kasser joined Cal after a two-year stint at UC Santa Barbara, and he announced his resignation in December 2004 to become executive director of Pac-10 Properties.

Kasser was a standout basketball and baseball player at Pepperdine in the late 1950s. He spent time in both automotive sales and high school coaching in southern California before he moved into college athletics as an assistant athletic director at UC Irvine in 1977. After three years with the Anteaters, he assumed a similar role at the University of Houston. From 1982-84, Kasser oversaw the school's men's basketball program that went to three consecutive Final Fours behind the efforts of such stars as Hakeem Olajuwan and Clyde Drexler.

Kasser served as Director of Athletics at Long Beach State from 1984-87, a period that saw the women's basketball team reach the Final Four and the softball team advance to the Women's College World Series. In 1987, Kasser became associate executive director with the College Football Association and played a large role in securing a major TV contract with CBS.

Kasser served on multiple NCAA committees during his career, including women's volleyball, women's basketball and men's water polo, as well as on the NCAA Council. He was also a member of the NACDA executive committee while at Cal.

Kasser and his wife, Carol, had two daughters, Karen and Sharon.

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Follow Jake Curtis of Cal Sports Report on Twitter: @jakecurtis53

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