Chapman women's basketball coach Mary Hegarty has accepted an offer to become the next head coach at Long Beach State, announced at a news conference Friday morning, April 25. She has reportedly received a five-year contract. Hegarty leaves Chapman as its all-time winningest coach with a record of 160-92 over the past ten seasons.

"Chapman wishes her the very best," said Chapman athletic director David Currey. "We are very fond of her here and she has been a special part of Chapman women's basketball."

Hegarty, an Orange County native who graduated from Tustin High in 1981, took the Panthers to the NCAA Tournament four times in six years, including the past three in a row. In 2001-02, Chapman had its best season under Hegarty, finishing with a record of 23-5 and a berth in the Sweet 16. The Panthers have had nine consecutive winning seasons, dating to 1994-95.

"Mary Hegarty brings both the expertise and passion to this position that is required to return our program to an elite level," said Long Beach athletic director Bill Shumard. "She is an excellent teacher with a natural instinct for the game."

Chapman will now begin the process of searching for the eighth head women's basketball coach in Chapman's history. But a decision is not expected immediately.

"We will ... begin a new era of women's basketball with someone else," said Currey. "We are going to take our time with this search in order to find the right person for this job."