USC brings back Mark Trakh as women's basketball coach
LOS ANGELES (AP) Mark Trakh is returning to Southern California as coach of the women's basketball team.
He replaces Cynthia Cooper-Dyke, who resigned last month with no public explanation after going 70-56 in four years at her alma mater.
Trakh had a 90-64 record during his first stint with the Trojans from 2005-09. None of his college teams has advanced beyond the second round of the NCAA Tournament, including two such appearances in his first two years at USC.
Athletic director Lynn Swann said Friday that Trakh is an effective recruiter with a knack for taking teams to the NCAAs.
During his initial time at USC, Trakh resigned for personal reasons and spent the next two years out of coaching.
In 2011, he took over at New Mexico State, where he was 104-80 over six years. Trakh coached at Pepperdine from 1993-2004 with a 199-123 record.
His younger brother, Maz, is an assistant with the NBA's Washington Wizards.