Lee interviews with UC Davis

Steve Virgen

Todd Lee, the associate head coach of the UC Irvine men’s basketball

team, interviewed for the head coaching position at UC Davis

Thursday, Lee said.

Lee is one of three candidates being interviewed for the job this

week. Eric Reveno, a Stanford assistant coach, has also been

interviewed. Lee said he enjoyed the interview.

“I met a lot of people and they are similar to the type of people

at UC Irvine,” said Lee, who will await UC Davis’ decision in the

coming weeks. “I heard that [UC Davis] will interview three people

and either make their decision or open it up again.”

UC Davis will enter the Big West Conference next season, and Lee

seems to have a bit of an advantage since he’s been coaching in the

conference for the past six seasons.

“I already know the landscape of the Big West very well,” Lee

said. “Plus, it’s a UC school, so they have the same type of athletes

as UCI. It’s a very smooth transition in that sense, should it

happen.”

Lee also worked as an assistant in the CBA in 1993 and 1994 under

Eric Musselman, who was hired last summer by the Warriors and asked

Lee to join his staff, but the UCI assistant turned it down because

his goal is to become an NCAA Division I head coach.

Lee has been an assistant coach with Pat Douglass for the past

nine years. Douglass, the UCI head coach, and Lee won an NCAA

Division II championship at Cal State Bakersfield in 1997. Shortly

thereafter, Douglass took Lee with him to UCI, where the Anteaters

had just completed a 1-25 season in 1996-97.

UCI has since risen to become one of the top teams in the Big

West, recording three-straight 20-win seasons and back-to-back

conference regular-season championships in 2001 and 2002.

“I think he’s a perfect fit for [UC Davis],” Douglass said.

Douglass reiterated Thursday that he has not been interested in

coaching for any other school than UC Irvine. Earlier in the year,

there were mild rumors that had him involved with UCLA, and even with

all the other openings across the nation, Douglass won’t pay any mind

to that.

“I’m happy where I’m at,” Douglass said. “I’ve been here six years

and I have never looked to work anywhere else. I have not interviewed

for another job.”