SAN JOSE, Calif. - Director of Athletics Jeff Konya announced extensions for women's gymnastics coach Joanne Bowers, baseball coach Brad Sanfilippo, men's soccer coach Simon Tobin and men's water polo coach Bruce Watson on Thursday. Bowers just completed one of the most successful seasons in program history and signed a four-year extension, while Sanfilippo, Tobin and Watson each signed two-year extensions after strong seasons.
"All four of these coaches have and will continue to build champions in the classroom, in competition and in the community," said Konya. "These programs witnessed high levels of success, and I am very excited about the opportunity to continue working with these head coaches in the future."
Bowers finished her fourth season as the head coach of the women's gymnastics team and will lead the program through the 2027 season. The Spartans won the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation championship with a meet record score of 196.425, third-highest score in program history, and went on to nearly upset Stanford in the NCAA Seattle Regional with a program-best regional score of 195.150. San José State set a school record on Senior Day inside the Provident Credit Union Event Center against UC Davis with a score of 196.625 to close out the home meets for the regular season. Jada Mazury, the MPSF all-around, bars and floor champion, was named College Gym News Breakout Performer of the Year.
"I want to thank Jeff Konya, Rob Clark and Mary Quintanar for all the help and guidance through this process," said Bowers. "We are building something very special here at San José State University and I am thrilled and honored to know that our administration sees our value. Being able to coach our amazing gymnasts and work with an elite staff is very inspiring to me. This contract extension is comforting to our team and to our recruits as we move forward together. I love it here and am excited to keep building this program!"
Sanfilippo led the Spartans to their best season in over a decade with a 30-win season this year. The Spartans made their first-ever appearance in the Mountain West championship game and set the single-season school record in home runs. Charles McAdoo became the first SJSU baseball player to garner All-America honors by earning a spot on the Collegiate Baseball All-America season team, setting a new school record by reaching base safely in 44 consecutive games. Sanfilippo's extension runs through the end of the 2025 season.
"I am grateful for the opportunity to continue to build Spartan Baseball back to prominence," said Sanfilippo. "I want to thank Interim President Steve Perez, Athletic Director Jeff Konya and his administration, in particular Rob Clark and Scott MacDonald, for their support of our efforts. Our players have stayed extremely loyal and dedicated to SJSU, their teammates, and this coaching staff and their performance on and off the field has been tremendous. I also have to acknowledge Thomas Walker and his work in recruiting and the development of this Spartan Baseball family. My family and I are so excited about our future at San José State."
Tobin enters his ninth season as head coach of the men's soccer program, earning WAC Coach of the Year in 2021. The Spartans rattled off a nine-game unbeaten streak midway through the season, including their first win over a top-10 opponent in 16 years, defeating then-No. 10 Grand Canyon, 2-1, at the Spartan Soccer Complex. SJSU picked up results against a pair of top-20 teams for the first time in 21 years during the season, and made a run to the WAC semifinals before a depleted squad fell to eventual champion Grand Canyon.
"I am excited and honored to lead the SJSU men's soccer team through fall 2023," said Tobin. "My thanks go to SJSU Interim President Dr. Steve Perez and Athletics Director Jeff Konya for their support," said Tobin. "As I reach the home stretch of my career there are still some beautiful soccer games to coach and many wonderful young men to assist in achieving their dream of a SJSU degree."
Watson took over the reins of the men's water polo program when it was reinstated in December 2014 and is currently signed through the 2024 season. The Spartans finished inside the top-10 in the final Collegiate Water Polo Association rankings, finishing at No. 9. SJSU picked up a pair of wins over top-15 Santa Clara (16-6 and 15-6), No. 9 San Diego (14-13), No. 10 Pepperdine (10-9 and 11-9), No. 12 Princeton (11-7), No. 14 UC Irvine (12-10) and picked up its third win over Pepperdine in the quarterfinals of the Golden Coast Conference championship, 10-8, to advance to the semifinals.
"I'm very excited and honored to be able to continue building and leading the men's water polo program here at San José State, my alma mater," said Watson. "We are very proud of the progress we have made, and looking forward to even more exciting things in the seasons to come. Go Spartans!"
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