Oct. 25, 2002
Untitled Document
OAHU, Hawaii --- Former UC Davis men's basketball and golf coach
Joe Carlson died early Thursday morning at approximately midnight Hawaiian
time. He was 69 years old. Carlson had recently moved to his new home in
the town of Kapolei, Oahu, where he joined his daughter, Kristin, and son-in-law,
Kevin Gallo.
A native of Valley Hill, N.D., and a graduate of Ohio State University,
Carlson joined the faculty of UC Davis' department of physical education
in 1962. He took over as head coach of the Aggie men's basketball program
for the 1963-64 season and, one year later, guided the program to its first
winning season since 1952.
In 1967, his final year at the helm of the basketball program, he led
UC Davis to its first-ever NCAA postseason appearance. The Aggies went 21-7,
a record for victories that stood for almost three decades.
Carlson turned over the basketball program to Bob Hamilton, then took
the reins of the UC Davis golf program. He brought the Aggies to national
prominence during his 24-year career, making 16 team appearances at the
NCAA Championships. Carlson reached the pinnacle of success in 1979, when
his team captured the Division II title -- the first-ever national championship
in any sport at UC Davis.
Carlson stepped down as golf coach in 1992 and retired from the P.E.
(now exercise science) department one year later. He was inducted into the
Cal Aggie Athletic Hall of Fame in 2000.
According to Dr. Ed Bernauer, a long-time friend and colleague of Carlson,
a memorial service will take place in Davis sometime in early January.
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