WALBERG GETS PEPPERDINE JOB WAVES TAKE CHANCE ON JC COACH.

Byline: RAMONA SHELBURNE Staff Writer

Every year for the past 19 years, Vance Walberg has become a student, taking a week off and visiting a different Division I college basketball program, hoping to pick up something new to take back with him to Fresno City College.

A few years back, Walberg visited John Calipari at Memphis and started talking offense. Calipari was so impressed with Walberg's philosophies that he decided to install his high-powered offense. He even took the time to single Walberg out at a news conference before Memphis lost to UCLA in the Elite Eight in late March.

"People thought I was crazy, `You've won all these games doing it one way, all of a sudden you're changing everything,' " Calipari said at the time. "But I've had more fun coaching this style. The players have had fun playing it. ... He will be a Division I coach in the next year or two. His teams will score over a hundred a game."

On Tuesday, Pepperdine proved Calipari right, hiring Walberg as the 12th men's basketball coach in the program's 68 years, signing him to what is believed to be a three or four-year contract. Walberg replaces Paul Westphal, who was fired on March 15 after Pepperdine stumbled to a 7-20 record this season.

Walberg, 49, has no coaching experience at the Division I level, a factor he admitted may have cost him jobs in the past. But he's established winning programs everywhere else he has been.

Two years ago, he led Fresno City College to a perfect 34-0 record and a state championship. He was 133-11 in four years at Fresno, where his teams routinely averaged over 100 points a game. He was the California JC coach of the year in 2003 and 2005.

Previously, he led Clovis West High in Fresno to six Central Section titles in 13 years.

"I've taken a different route than most people," Walberg said. "There's been other jobs where they wouldn't even look at a JC guy. ... But when I came down here to interview at Pepperdine, I remember thinking that they're not the traditional type, where you have to have all this Division I experience ... so I had a feeling they'd give me an opportunity."

Pepperdine has had success hiring young coaches from the high school or junior college level. Most recently, the school hired women's basketball coach Mark Trakh from Brea Olinda High. Trakh led the Waves to NCAA tournament appearances in 2000, 2002 and 2003 before moving on to USC.

"We have a tradition of taking some chances on young coaches that have worked out very well," Pepperdine athletic director John Watson said. "We're very excited to give Vance this opportunity."

UCLA assistant Donny Daniels and USC assistant Gib Arnold were the two other finalists for the job. Montana coach Larry Krystowiak was also a finalist but pulled his name from consideration over the weekend. Watson said that none of the other finalists were ever offered the job.

Walberg was officially offered the job Tuesday morning about 10 a.m., after Watson conferenced with Pepperdine president Andrew Benton, who is travelling in Italy.

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VANCE WALBERG

Fresno City College coach is hired to be Pepperdine's new men's basketball coach.