Frank Carbajal, Hall of Fame Coach, Passes Away

Hall of Fame Coach Frank Carbajal has passed away, at the age of 78. Carbajal, who coached at three California community colleges, was inducted into the California Community Colleges Men's Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 1999 and served as the association' president from 1996-97.

Carbajal coached at Santa Barbara, DeAnza and Hartnell colleges during his career. He coached at Santa Barbara for 10 years (1978-88), and led the Vaqueros to two Final Fours and four Western Conference Championships. His 1984 team reached the state championship game, but fell to San Joaquin Delta in overtime. It was — at the time — the lowest scoring state championship game in history, 38-37. It would be eclipsed the following year when El Camino (led by Paul Landreaux, who also recently passed) beat San Jose City, 37-35.

He coached two future NBA players — Chris McNealy and Ron Anderson. He also coached basketball at DeAnza and Hartnell before retiring in 2005. He amassed 662 victories in his coaching career.

In addition to being enshrined in the CCCMBCA Hall of Fame, Carbajal had been honored by the Colorado Sports, Northern Colorado Athletic, Santa Barbara Athletic Round Table and the Santa Barbara Basketball Court of Champions.

Born in 1938, Carbajal was the youngest of 11 children and grew up in Greeley, CO where he was a standout in basketball and baseball. In 1956, he he helped Greeley High to a state basketball championship and the state baseball final. He was a 5-foot-9, hard-throwing, left-handed pitcher. After high school, he played baseball at Trinidad State Junior College before moving on to Colorado State College (now University of Northern Colorado).

At Colorado State College, in 1960, he earned All-Rocky Mountain Conference and NCAA District 7 honors in basketball. He was team captain and was one of the top free-throw shooters in the nation during his senior year with an 87 percent average.

He began his coaching career at Moab High in Utah before accepting a job at El Camino High in Sacramento. His team went 23-0 in 1967-68. He moved on to the college ranks and was hired by Ed Gregory at Fresno State to coach the junior varsity. Carbajal's team won 183 games and lost just 37. After Gregory was fired, he coached under Boyd Grant before accepting the job at Santa Barbara.

Carbajal was also an author, penning the book On the Outside Looking In. Funeral arrangments were pending.