Vaifanua-Pace Steps Aside As Women’s Basketball Coach

Otters to begin national search for replacement

May 13, 2022

SEASIDE, Calif — CJ Vaifanua-Pace is stepping aside as the head women's basketball coach at Cal State Monterey Bay for personal reasons. She announced her intentions to her team on Wednesday.

Vaifanua-Pace joined the Otters as the seventh coach in program history in June of 2018. Just as she began rebuilding the program from the ground up, COVID hit and caused the cancelation of the 2020–21 season. When the Otters took the court in 2021–22, no player on the team had ever played a game with any other.

Due to injuries and COVID, the Otters never played a full compliment of games in any of Vaifanua-Pace's three seasons at the helm. The team was limited to just 20 games in the 2021–22 season.

"I want to express my gratitude to Kirby Garry and the rest of the administration for taking the chance on me as well as the supporters of the women's program," said Vaifanua-Pace. I wish nothing but the best for the future of the program."

CSUMB

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