SOLANA BEACH -- Mike Whitmarsh, a former University of San Diego basketball player and Olympic beach volleyball medalist, was found dead inside the garage of a Solana Beach home Tuesday morning, authorities said.

He was 46.

The 6-foot-7 Whitmarsh led USD to the NCAA tournament in 1984 before making his mark and his living as a beach volleyball player. In 15 years on various beach volleyball tours, Whitmarsh won 29 titles and more than $1.5 million.

"Obviously, it was a devastating call when I got the news from USD," said Jim Brovelli, Whitmarsh's Toreros basketball coach and now a radio analyst for the University of San Francisco. "We were so close. … Oh, man, it's hard for me to talk about it.

"Our team was so close as a family, and he's going to be missed by everyone. You can talk about his ability, but he was a great person. He was a big part of the reason for the closeness on our team."

In 1996, Whitmarsh and former San Diego State basketball player Mike Dodd won a silver medal at the Atlanta Olympics in beach volleyball.

"We stayed in touch and when he went on to his pro volleyball career, the tour came to Boulder when I was with the Denver Nuggets," Brovelli said. "My wife and I went to see him play and really enjoyed visiting with him.

"I was in San Diego in November for Pete Newell's memorial and when I pulled into a gas station, Mike pulled in right behind time. We had a nice talk. That was the last time I saw him."

A friend found Whitmarsh unresponsive inside a car in the garage of the home, at 341 Shoemaker Lane, according to the county medical examiner's office. Medical personnel responded and confirmed the death at 11:35 a.m.

A sheriff's deputy was sent to the scene, though no members of the sheriff's homicide division were sent, sheriff's Lt. Mike Munsey said. Munsey said he was not aware of anything suspicious about the death.

The medical examiner's office did not list a cause of death. An autopsy had not been scheduled as of Tuesday evening, according to the office's Web site.

"What a terrible shock," said Gus Magee, an assistant for Brovelli when Whitmarsh played at USD.

Whitmarsh, who was married, occasionally stayed at the Solana Beach residence, though he lived with family near Fairbanks Ranch, officials said.

"Our hearts go out to the Whitmarsh family and our thoughts and prayers are with all of them during this difficult time," said Ted Gosen, USD's long-time sports information director. "Mike was a treasured alum at USD. He meant a lot to our athletic program and he will be truly missed. He was a wonderful person."

Brovelli said Whitmarsh was unselfish and had a knack of lifting teammates' performances.

"Mike was an exceptional athlete and exceptionally smart player," he said. "He was a great team player that always made players around him better. He made a lot of big plays for us. He was one of those special people."

And now he's gone.

"I'm shocked," Brovelli said. "He was a great guy."

Staff writer Chris Nichols and correspondent Tom Shanahan contributed to this report.