Lou Campanelli, the Cal men’s basketball coach who revived the Bears’ program in the 1980s, died this week at the age of 84.
His cause of death was unknown, but he was in poor health after a stroke in recent years, according to the Chronicle’s Steve Kroner.
Campanelli was perhaps best known for breaking Cal’s 25-year losing streak to UCLA in January of 1986 as his team headlined by Kevin Johnson and Chris Washington toppled Reggie Miller and the Bruins for the first time in 53 matchups. The win made good on a promise Campanelli made to athletic director Dave Maggard during his introductory press conference. He and his assistants celebrated with a champagne toast.
“This is a special moment,” he told them. “I want you to remember it the rest of your lives.”
Maggard had hired Campanelli from James Madison University in Virginia, where he had coached 13 seasons and led the Dukes to NCAA Tournament upsets over Georgetown, Ohio State and West Virginia.
He guided the Bears to four postseason appearances in eight seasons after not making a tournament since 1960. His Bears reached the NIT three times in his first four years before making the NCAA Tournament and upsetting Indiana in 1990 before falling to UConn.
Campanelli was fired in February 1993 amid a losing streak and complaints from a team featuring sensation Jason Kidd about his no-nonsense coaching style. The firing drew a lawsuit from Campanelli, but was dismissed by a judge.
He never coached college ball again but was later an NBA scout and served several years as an officiating administrator for the Pac-10.