Date: 07/30/2007

San Jos?? State mourns the loss of Bill Walsh, alumnus and former San Francisco 49ers head coach who led the team to win three Super Bowl championships. A public tribute will be held at 11 a.m. on Friday, August 10, at Monster Park. Senator Dianne Feinstein and 49ers great Joe Montana will speak at the service.

Walsh died at his Woodside home Monday morning following a long battle with leukemia. Raised in California, Walsh was attending the College of San Mateo when he was recruited by San Jos?? State football Coach Bob Bronzan. A wide receiver, Walsh played football for two years at SJSU, served as a graduate assistant and earned bachelor's and master's degrees in physical education. He was the first in his family to earn a college degree.

Walsh went on to coach the San Francisco 49ers, "where he took a third-rate team and turned it into an NFL dynasty" using his own "revolutionary West Coast offense, a short-passing game system adopted by countless other teams at all levels of football," said San Jose Mercury News writer Mark Purdy. Walsh "eventually challenged Vince Lombardi for the label of best football coach ever," Purdy continued.

After retiring from pro ball and while working as a Stanford administrator, Walsh returned to San Jos?? State to take an active role in searches for Athletics Director Tom Bowen and Football Head Coach Dick Tomey. Both men were hired in 2004, and went on to take the Spartans to their first bowl game victory in nearly two decades. Walsh has been inducted into the San Jos?? State Sports Hall of Fame and the Spartan Stadium Ring of Honor. He was also an Order of Sparta member and recipient of the Tower Award, the university's highest award for service, in 2001.

"I visited Coach Walsh on Friday at his home, along with Tom Bowen, SJSU's athletics director," said President Don W. Kassing. "We are honored to call him one of our very own. He received his bachelor's and master's degrees from San Jos?? State. He played for two years on our football team and worked as a graduate assistant. And he was an extraordinarily loyal and supportive alumnus. As recently as the past few years, he served on two search committees -- one for our athletic director and a second for our football coach -- both of whom went on to take SJSU's football team to its first bowl game victory in nearly two decades. So I have come to rely on Bill's counsel, and I will miss him tremendously. My heartfelt condolences go out to all who knew and loved this great man."

Members of the media may contact Pat Lopes Harris at 408-924-1748 for more information.