USD Women's Basketball 1999-2000

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Dean Ma1·pe As the "dean" of West Coast Conference coaches, Marpe possesses the necessary perspective to appreciate the radical changes in the league. During her tenure at Alcala Park , Marpe has twice won WCC Coach of the Year honors . She shared the award in 1993 after leading the Toreros into the NCAA Tournament for the first and on ly time in school history - upsetting Santa Clara in the WCC Tournament Championship. Marpe won the award in 1997-98 after leading her team to one of the largest single-season turn– arounds in WCC history - an improvement of eight games. Last season, Marpe led the Toreros to home upset victories against #25 Santa Clara, Saint Mary 's, Pepperdine and an overtime win aga inst Portland. All four WCC foes slayed in the USO Sports Center, advanced to the post season. The victory against the Broncos was the Torero's first win against a Top-25 opponent since 1992-93. Excellence On and Off the Court Marpe is the active leader in career coaching victories with 225 at USO and ranks third among conference coaches in WCC wins (90). In 14 WCC seasons, Marpe has produced 15 All-WCC performers, 15 WCC All-Academic se lections and has placed four players on the WCC All-Freshman teams. In 1998-99, junior guard Susie Erpelding, became the first Torero women ' s basketball player to earn GTE/CoSIDA First Team All-Academic America honors.

Kathy Marpe, 1998,1993

West Coast Conference Coach of the Year

Prior to arriving at USO, Marpe directed the University of New Mexico to seven sea-

sons of success on and off the court. The Lobos were 51-30 in Marpe's last three seasons, having posted wins over two nationally-ranked teams in the same season. Playing in "The Pit" , the UNM women drew over 1,000 a game with crowds reaching the 2,000-3,000 mark on occasion - at–

tendance figures unheard of in the mid-70s . By the time she left the Albuquerque campus, Marpe had led the Lobos to consecutive finishes in the AP Top 20 and six AIAW Reg ional appearances in seven years. In the Be;:innin;: Marpe broke into the coaching ranks at Spring Lake (MN) Hi gh in 1971 after earning a Bachelor's degree in Physical Education at the University of Minnesota that same year. Along with heading women's basketball , Marpe served as the head coach for women's volleyball , softball and track. In three basketball seasons, her teams compi led a 53-1 record. Involve1nent The Minnesota nati ve strongly emphasizes com– munity involvement and has stressed it to every team she has ever coached. Marpe fee ls that "It is very important to remember who you are and where you come from, and also to give back to the people around you or to those who aren 't as fortunate." Marpe also has served as a voting member of the

USD Coaching Staff (1-r): Erik Johnson , Nadine Mastroleo, wkeysha Wright, Kathy Marpe.

AP Top 20 Poll , the Kodak Al l-American se lection board and the Western Regional seeding comm ittee. In 1990, she was a member of the gold medal-winning East coaching staff at the U.S. Olympic Festival. Kathy's family is also involved in the program. Her mother, Genevieve, assists in the basketball office keeping in touch with the Torero women 's basketball alumni and extended family. The Futu1·e After surpassi ng 300 career victories and working with a quality group of veteran returners and excitino newcom– ers on the ri se, Coach Marpe feels rejuvenated and excited for the upcoming season , her 20th year guiding the Torero hoops fortunes . "A couple years ago it would have really seemed like 20 years. Now, it's like, Wow! 20 again," Marpe said . Marpe credits much of her optimi sm and excitement to the youth and energy of her coaching staff and the enthu– siasm has been infectious. Oh, and the quality of her team also brings a smi le to her face. Added Marpe, "Thi s group of athletes is so pleasant to work with and hav ing young assistan ts brings new vigor." " FREE THROWS WIN GAMES ." - ROLLIE MARPE