SAN DIEGO (CNS) - Steve Lavin, who coached the UCLA Bruins to four Sweet 16 appearances in the NCAA men's basketball tournament, is the new head coach for the San Diego Toreros.
Lavin, 57, will replace Sam Scholl, who was fired earlier in March after going 15-16, the third consecutive losing season for the program. Lavin was 145-78 at UCLA in seven seasons from 1996 to 2003. During that time, the Bruins went to the Elite Eight in his first season and made four other Sweet 16 appearances. Lavin was fired after UCLA went 10-19 in 2002-03, the only season he didn't get the Bruins into the NCAAs.
He was 92-72 at St. John's from 2010 to 2015, with two NCAA tournament berths and two NIT appearances.
He left St. John's in 2015 after going 21-12. That season ended with a 76-64 loss to San Diego State in the first round of the NCAA tournament.
Lavin has worked as a college basketball TV analyst for the past several seasons.
