Delta College has announced the death of former basketball head coach Ernie Marcopulos, who won or shared 13 championships in 16 years. He was also the athletic director at Delta and he helped build Delta’s athletics program into one of the most competitive programs in the state.
Marcopulos was born on Oct. 19, 1926, and he was 96 years old when he passed away on Tuesday, Nov. 1.
“It’s sad news for Delta College and Delta College athletics,” said Tony Espinoza, Delta’s current athletic director. “He had a significant impact on the athletic department here. A number of our coaches actually started working when he was the athletic director here. So, he was here for quite a while, and had a major impact on women’s sports too here at Delta. So, I know it’s tough news for the college and for our athletic department.”
Marcopulos was best known for his time as head coach for the basketball team. His Mustangs team went on to win 13 championships throughout 1962-79, with a 71 percent win rate.
“He had a huge impact on the men’s basketball team,” said Gina Johnson, head coach of the women’s basketball team. “He actually set the stage before women’s sports came to Delta College by being an amazing coach for the basketball program, but he would go locally. He never went outside the Stockton area and he would get the best players in the Stockton region, which also includes Manteca and Tracy. But, he only recruited local players, which made his success even more incredible.”
While he won multiple “Coach of the Year” awards and conference championships, Marcopulos achieved his greatest award when he was inducted into the California Community College Coaches Hall of Fame in 1976.
His commitment to Delta College went beyond basketball when he became Delta’s athletic director in 1974. Marcopulos continued to be the head coach of the men’s basketball team through the 1978-79 season.
During his reign as athletic director, Marcopulos helped create intercollegiate athletic programs for young female athletes who sought to achieve opportunities on the playing field. He was also a strong proponent of Title IX implementing 11 women’s sports programs at the college by 1979.
In 1992, Marcopulos was inducted into the Stockton Athletic Hall of Fame and in 1997, the North Gym at Delta College, where the volleyball players play their home games at, was renamed the Ernie Marcopulos Gymnasium.
“It’s one of the aspects of honoring his name at Delta College,” said Pat Doyle, executive director of the Stockton Hall of Fame. “Those that don’t know who he is, they can read his name at the gym when you enter and it can give a segway of who this person is and that can lead to getting to know the life and impact of Ernie.”
In 2020, Marcopulos was inducted into the California Community College Athletic Association Hall of Fame.
“Everyone thinks of Ernie as a coach because he won so many championships, but what he really brought to San Joaquin Delta College besides success as a coach was his leadership and being a great administrator for the athletic program here,” said Johnson. “He built a culture of success here at San Joaquin Delta early on from 1972, when we first started here, until the present. A lot of our makeup of the athletic department is based on what he developed.”
A Rosary service was held on Sunday, Nov. 6 at St. Katherine Greek Orthodox Church in Redondo Beach. In addition, a funeral service for Marcopulos was held on Monday, Nov. 7.
In lieu of flowers, please send donations to YMCA of San Joaquin County in the name of Ernie Marcopulos. The address is 2105 W. March Lane, Ste. 1, Stockton, CA 95207.