Peter Wright Retires as Cal's Men's Tennis Coach

He guided the Bears to the NCAA tournament 25 times in his 29 seasons

Peter Wright, who generated more wins and NCAA Tournament berths than any coach in Cal men's tennis history, announced Wednesday that he is retiring as the Bears head tennis coach after 29 years on the job.

Wright, 57, amassed a 383-256 record during his tenure in Berkeley, and he guided Cal to the NCAA Championships 25 times, including 20 consecutive seasons from 1994-2019 before the pandemic caused the cancellation of the 2020 postseason tournament.

Amanda Augustus, now in her 14th season as head coach of the Cal women's team, will serve as interim men's coach until a full-time men's coach is named.

Wright was a three-time Pac-12 Coach of the Year, earning honors in 1997, 2001 and 2016, and he was chosen the ITA Regional Coach of the Year in 1994.

"It has been an honor to have been part of the Cal tennis program as a player and a coach for almost four decades," Wright said in a statement released by the school. "Our world-class university has given me the opportunity to coach, without question, some of the finest young men and tennis players anywhere, and the privilege of contributing to their growth and development as students, athletes and caring, well-balanced individuals has been beyond fulfilling. I am eternally grateful to everyone who contributed to my playing and coaching career for the past 40 years, and proud of my role in leading our program and building the platform for its continued success."

Wright graduated from Cal with his degree in social science in 1991, and he took over the reins of the program two years later. Over the ensuing 29 seasons, Wright led the Bears to at least the NCAA Round of 16 on 11 occasions, including a semifinal berth in 2016.

Cal finished the year ranked among the nation's top 20 teams 14 times and finished in the top 10 four times. The 2004 squad ended the season ranked No. 4 in the nation, while his 2016 team was rated No. 9.

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