Ex-Cal athletic director who oversaw big changes dies
John Kasser, whose eight-year run as Cal’s athletic director was highlighted by the $60 million transformation of Harmon Gym into Haas Pavilion, passed away on Thursday, the school announced. He was 82.
Kasser had been hospitalized for a short time, and his death was “heart related,” his wife, Carol, told the San Francisco Chronicle.
While Cal had nine national championship teams during Kasser’s tenure from 1993-2000, his biggest impact in Berkeley came as a fundraiser. In addition to the two-year project that turned rickety, 60-year-old Harmon into a modern, 12,000-seat facility in 1995, Kasser helped raise $40 million for other aspects of the athletic department.
The money helped refurbish Edwards Stadium’s track and field surface and infield as well as improvements for to Memorial Stadium, including a grass playing surface.
Kasser’s influence also helped
Cal expand athletic opportunities for women with the addition of teams for women’s golf, women’s lacrosse and women’s water polo.
While the Bears captured national titles in rugby (six), men’s gymnastics (two) and men’s rowing (one) with Kasser running athletics, Cal struggled
in football under his leadership — it failed to post a winning season in eight years.
Kasser, though, will also be remembered for hiring coaches Steve Mariucci (whose team went 6-7 in 1996 before the coach left for the 49ers) and Ben Braun, who took the men’s basketball team to the NCAA tournament three times, including two trips to the Sweet 16.