Honor To Be Presented At Feb. 18 Cal-Stanford Game
BERKELEY – Ned Averbuck, a member of Cal's 1959 and '60 Final Four teams and a longtime teacher in the East Bay, is the recipient of the 2017-18 Pete Newell Career Achievement Award. The presentation will take place during halftime of Cal's home game against Stanford on Feb. 18 at Haas Pavilion in the eighth annual Pete Newell Classic.
The contest honors the legacy of Cal's Hall of Fame basketball coach and the contributions Newell made to Cal basketball. The Career Achievement Award is presented to a Cal men's basketball alumnus who has distinguished himself in his career accomplishments, upholding the highest ideals of Coach Newell and the University of California.
"To be even associated with Pete's name, it's overwhelming," Averbuck said. "Just to be noted with his award is beyond any of my dreams, hopes or desires. It really is. Pete was such a superb teacher. I went into teaching as a profession because of him. As he taught us, teaching is forever; coaching is in the moment."
A 6-4 guard from East Los Angeles, Averbuck earned three letters at Cal from 1958-59 through 1960-61, which included two trips to the NCAA Tournament final and the 1959 national championship. Averbuckreceived Cal's Most Inspirational Award as a senior in 1961. He played under Newell for two seasons and under head coach Rene Herrerias his final campaign.
Averbuck served as a student assistant with Herrerias in 1960-61 while taking graduate school courses before going to nearby Bishop O'Dowd High School, where he taught and coached basketball with head coach Frank LaPorte.
Averbuck returned to Cal in 1965 for several years, primarily as a counselor for alumni scholars for the Cal Alumni Association, then headed by former Cal football star Dick Erickson. Starting in 1967, Averbuck began a nearly 30-year association with the Peralta Community College District, coaching basketball and teaching a range of courses that included speech, communications, writing, English and sociology, among others. He also taught for several years at Cal State East Bay, Sonoma State and San Francisco State.
"To be able to experience the everyday laboratory of learning that we got through those two men (Newell and Herrerias) was significant for everything in my life … everything," Averbuck added. "I surely never in my mind never met what Pete and Rene wanted from me as a basketball player, but the lessons I learned from them and what it took to be a participating member of our University team was everything. Every day on the court was something new. For me, it was life-changing."
About Pete Newell
Pete Newell served as Cal's basketball coach from 1954-60, guiding the Bears to the 1959 NCAA Championship and a national runner-up finish in 1960, the same season he was voted the National Coach of the Year. Cal also reached the NCAA regional final in 1957 and '58 under his leadership. Overall, he led the Bears to four consecutive conference titles (1957-60) while compiling a 119-44 record. Newell coached the 1960 U.S. Olympic team to a gold medal at the Rome Olympics and later served as Cal's Director of Athletics from 1960-68.
Newell was inducted into the Cal Athletic Hall of Fame in 1987 and into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame a year later. The entire 1960 Olympic team, which included former Golden Bear Darrall Imhoff in addition to Newell as head coach, was enshrined into the Naismith Hall of Fame in 2010. Newell also earned entry into the FIBA International Basketball Hall of Fame in 2009. On Dec. 21, 1987, the playing surface at Harmon Gym (now Haas Pavilion) was renamed "Pete Newell Court" in his honor.
Newell, who was born on Aug. 31, 1915, passed away on Nov. 17, 2008.
Previous Pete Newell Career Achievement Award Recipients
2010-11 – Al Buch
2011-12 – Earl Robinson
2012-13 – Andy Wolfe
2013-14 – Earl Shultz
2014-15 – Russ Critchfield
2015-16 – Michael Pitts
2016-17 – Stan Morrison
BERKELEY – Ned Averbuck, a member of Cal's 1959 and '60 Final Four teams and a longtime teacher in the East Bay, is the recipient of the 2017-18 Pete Newell Career Achievement Award. The presentation will take place during halftime of Cal's home game against Stanford on Feb. 18 at Haas Pavilion in the eighth annual Pete Newell Classic.
The contest honors the legacy of Cal's Hall of Fame basketball coach and the contributions Newell made to Cal basketball. The Career Achievement Award is presented to a Cal men's basketball alumnus who has distinguished himself in his career accomplishments, upholding the highest ideals of Coach Newell and the University of California.
"To be even associated with Pete's name, it's overwhelming," Averbuck said. "Just to be noted with his award is beyond any of my dreams, hopes or desires. It really is. Pete was such a superb teacher. I went into teaching as a profession because of him. As he taught us, teaching is forever; coaching is in the moment."
A 6-4 guard from East Los Angeles, Averbuck earned three letters at Cal from 1958-59 through 1960-61, which included two trips to the NCAA Tournament final and the 1959 national championship. Averbuckreceived Cal's Most Inspirational Award as a senior in 1961. He played under Newell for two seasons and under head coach Rene Herrerias his final campaign.
Averbuck served as a student assistant with Herrerias in 1960-61 while taking graduate school courses before going to nearby Bishop O'Dowd High School, where he taught and coached basketball with head coach Frank LaPorte.
Averbuck returned to Cal in 1965 for several years, primarily as a counselor for alumni scholars for the Cal Alumni Association, then headed by former Cal football star Dick Erickson. Starting in 1967, Averbuck began a nearly 30-year association with the Peralta Community College District, coaching basketball and teaching a range of courses that included speech, communications, writing, English and sociology, among others. He also taught for several years at Cal State East Bay, Sonoma State and San Francisco State.
"To be able to experience the everyday laboratory of learning that we got through those two men (Newell and Herrerias) was significant for everything in my life … everything," Averbuck added. "I surely never in my mind never met what Pete and Rene wanted from me as a basketball player, but the lessons I learned from them and what it took to be a participating member of our University team was everything. Every day on the court was something new. For me, it was life-changing."
About Pete Newell
Pete Newell served as Cal's basketball coach from 1954-60, guiding the Bears to the 1959 NCAA Championship and a national runner-up finish in 1960, the same season he was voted the National Coach of the Year. Cal also reached the NCAA regional final in 1957 and '58 under his leadership. Overall, he led the Bears to four consecutive conference titles (1957-60) while compiling a 119-44 record. Newell coached the 1960 U.S. Olympic team to a gold medal at the Rome Olympics and later served as Cal's Director of Athletics from 1960-68.
Newell was inducted into the Cal Athletic Hall of Fame in 1987 and into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame a year later. The entire 1960 Olympic team, which included former Golden Bear Darrall Imhoff in addition to Newell as head coach, was enshrined into the Naismith Hall of Fame in 2010. Newell also earned entry into the FIBA International Basketball Hall of Fame in 2009. On Dec. 21, 1987, the playing surface at Harmon Gym (now Haas Pavilion) was renamed "Pete Newell Court" in his honor.
Newell, who was born on Aug. 31, 1915, passed away on Nov. 17, 2008.
Previous Pete Newell Career Achievement Award Recipients
2010-11 – Al Buch
2011-12 – Earl Robinson
2012-13 – Andy Wolfe
2013-14 – Earl Shultz
2014-15 – Russ Critchfield
2015-16 – Michael Pitts
2016-17 – Stan Morrison
