Cooper to Coach SCC Women’s Basketball

Dean Cooper, the athletic director at Costa Mesa High School, has been hired as the women’s basketball coach at Southern California College, the college announced Friday.

Cooper, 58, a retired high school English teacher from Ohio, will remain as Costa Mesa’s athletic director, which is a walk-on position. The SCC coaching job is part-time.

Cooper replaces Dave Smith, the third-year coach who was asked to resign Jan. 9 because of disputes with the team. SCC Athletic Director Ron Prettyman finished the season as interim coach. The Vanguards, 6-10 under Smith and 5-9 under Prettyman, finished 11-19.

Cooper coached the Costa Mesa boys’ basketball team in the 1988-89 and 1989-90 seasons before stepping down after becoming the school’s athletic director. The Mustangs were 5-36 in Cooper’s two seasons.

As a boys’ coach in Ohio, Cooper compiled a 209-69 record in 15 seasons at various high schools. At Carey High School during the 1965-66 and 1966-67 seasons, Cooper’s team was 43-3.