Former CSUN swim coach Pete Accardy. Photo courtesy of GoMatadors.com.

Pete Accardy, one of the great figures in the history of California State University, Northridge’s athletics program, passed away on July 13 after battling cancer. Accardy won several national titles as CSUN swim coach during his 24 years on the Northridge campus, and in 1982 became the first coach in NCAA history to win national championships in the same season in two sports (men’s and women’s swimming).

“Pete Accardy was a great friend and a great person to have on the athletic department staff,” former CSUN Athlectics Director Bob Hiegert once said about the coach. “You could always count on Pete. The student-athletes on the men’s and women’s swim teams loved [him]… When people talked about the success of John Wooden as a basketball coach and Al Scates as a volleyball coach at UCLA, Pete Accardy’s name also was mentioned because of his success as a swim coach.”

Accardy’s reputation was well earned after coaching the men’s swim team for 24 years and the women’s for 15. According to GoMatadors.com, Accardy coached the Matadors to a record 13 NCAA team titles, still a collegiate record. Of those national titles, nine (1975, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984 and 1985) were captured by the CSUN men’s squad. Four more NCAA championship banners went up (1982, 1987, 1988 and 1989) on the women’s side. Those Matador teams also gained runner-up honors eight times during that time.

Condolences can be sent to:

Peter Accardy
C/O Lee & Leslie Accardy
1315 Shimmering Glen Ave.
Henderson, NV 89014

For more: Cancer Claims The Life of Matador Legend Pete Accardy (GoMatadors.com)

Men's Swimming, Women's Swimming