University of California - Davis Women's Basketball

As a player, she set school records and became one of the greatest point guards to ever don an Aggie uniform. As an assistant and associate head coach, she turned UC Davis into an immediate force in the Big West Conference by implementing one of the most difficult offensive schemes in the game. In her 14 seasons as head coach, Jennifer Gross has continued the tradition of excellence instilled in her throughout her entire Aggie career. The first women’s basketball coach in the history of the Big West to win five consecutive coach of the year awards (2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021) — standing behind only Mark French in the number of career coach of the year awards after French won the honor seven times with UC Santa Barbara — and a finalist for the WBCA National Coach of the Year in 2018, Gross enters her 15th season at the helm of her alma mater in 2025-26. As a result, Gross signed a contract extension in May of 2021 that could keep her on the UC Davis sidelines for the next decade, inking a five-year deal that runs through the 2025-26 season and includes five years of addition automatic renewals beginning in 2026-27. That would keep Gross at her alma mater through the 2030-31 season, marking the longest contract ever given to a UC Davis head coach in the history of the department. Her 258 victories ranks her as the winningest coach in program history, passing her former mentor Sandy Simpson in a victory over Cal State Fullerton on February 8th, 2025. In addition, she ranks third on the Big West all-time wins list with 153 conference victories. Just in the last eight years alone, the Aggies are a combined 180-90 (.667) overall and 110-39 (.738) in Big West play. With a 23-11 record in 2025-26, Gross helped her team end their long tenure in the Big West Conference on a high note with the team's third straight 20+ win season while also leading the Aggies to their 19th straight Big West Tournament, making the postseason every year as a member of the conference. At season's end, UC Davis was slotted into the WNIT for the sixth time in program history. The season also marked a brand new attendance record for the Aggies, as 5,567 poured into the University Credit Union Center on Nov. 7 to watch UC Davis take on Idaho. The attendance numbers reflected the athletic department's commitment to Gross and her team, and it was an experience that Gross described as "a ton of fun". Meanwhile, the five straight regular season titles from 2017-2022 make UC Davis one of only four active schools to have won at least that many along with UConn (seven in the American Athletic Conference, one in the BIG EAST), Baylor (11 in the Big 12), and Gonzaga (five in the West Coast Conference). Gross has also never shied away from competing against challenging opponents, scheduling 14 games against top-25 teams. UC Davis has faced the consensus No. 1-ranked team in the nation three times and hosted 11-time national champion UConn at The Pavilion in front of a record-setting crowd in 2014. Under Gross, the Aggies have notched six wins over “Power Five” teams, including five over Pacific-12 Conference opponents, while her five postseason wins in the Women’s National Invitation Tournament are the most of any school in the history of the Big West. Since taking over as head coach full-time in October of 2010, the Aggies have been perennial postseason participants with Gross at the helm, extending their seasons five times in her 12 campaigns — including four of the last seven years from 2017-21, with the run interrupted only by the COVID-19 pandemic that canceled the 2020 postseason with UC Davis holding the No. 1 seed heading into the semifinals of the Big West Tournament. All told, since returning to her alma mater in 2004-05, Gross has helped establish the foundation of UC Davis’ successful transition to the Division I level, helping lead the Aggies to 350 victories as an assistant, associate, and head coach, three berths in the NCAA Division I Tournament (2011, 2019, 2021), five berths in the Women’s National Invitation Tournament (2008, 2010, 2012, 2017, and 2018), and a .583 (350-250) winning percentage, in 18 seasons on the sidelines. UC Davis’ dynastic run continued in 2020-21, persevering through the COVID-19 pandemic and a two-month lay-off from competition to claim its fifth consecutive Big West regular season title — and the program’s sixth overall — on the road at Hawai’i, before heading to Las Vegas and running the table, defeating Cal State Fullerton, the Rainbow Wahine, and UC Irvine, en route to its second consecutive tournament title and subsequent NCAA Tournament berth. Becoming the sixth program in league history to win at least three Big West Tournament titles, the Aggies became the first repeat tournament champion since 2014-15 and became the first team to appear in three straight tournament championship games since UC Santa Barbara accomplished the feat from 1997-2009. Led by Big West Player of the Year and tournament Most Valuable Player Cierra Hall, Big West Defensive Player of the Year Sage Stobbart, and all-conference honorees Mackenzie Trpcic and Kayla Konrad, UC Davis finished the not-so-ordinary 2020-21 season with a 13-3 overall record and a 9-1 mark in conference play. The Aggies were then seeded No. 12 in the postseason — the highest-ever NCAA Tournament seed in the program’s Division I history and the highest for a Big West school since 2004 — facing off against No. 5-seeded Missouri State in the opening round in San Antonio. It marked the program’s eighth postseason appearance in 14 years as a Division I program. In 2019-20, Gross led the Aggies to 17 wins and their fourth consecutive Big West regular season title -- the first conference school to win outright back-to-back-to-back-to-back regular season titles since UC Santa Barbara in 1996-05 -- before the year was prematurely cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic. A year earlier, the UC Davis alumna led her team to its third consecutive Big West regular season title, a Big West Tournament championship, and the program’s second-ever NCAA Division I Tournament berth in 2019. At one point, UC Davis won 16 consecutive games — the third-longest single-season winning streak in the history of the program, and the longest since a Gross-led Aggie squad won 20 straight from Dec. 28, 1996, to March 19, 1997. Before that, UC Davis finished off a record-setting 2017-18 season by winning 28 games — the second-highest total in the history of the program — and making an appearance in the “Elite Eight” of the WNIT in 2018, setting or tying 10 different school single-season team records, earning the program’s first-ever vote in the Associated Press Top 25 on Feb. 26, and rank among the top 50 in the NCAA in 12 different categories. That followed a 25-win season — its first since the 2011 campaign that ended in the NCAA Tournament — a conference regular season crown, and a trip to the “Sweet 16” of the WNIT in 2017. Gross became the program’s offensive coordinator when she returned to UC Davis, implementing a Princeton-style offense. Using the fundamentals of sharp cuts, smart passes, and an unprecedented level of teamwork, the Aggies have been able to give opponents fits with their precision and execution. That has paid off as UC Davis has led the league in field goal percentage in six of the last 11 seasons (finishing second in 2016, 2020, and 2023) and paced the Aggies to the top of the three-point shooting charts eight times in the last 10 seasons in 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023. During her tenure, Gross has coached a total of 15 All-Big West first team selections, nine second team honorees, and nine honorable mention choices, as well as 12 Big West all-tournament selections, nine Big West All-Freshman Team members, one Big West Freshman of the Year (Megan Norris) and four Big West All-Defensive Team honorees. In 2019, Big West Player of the Year Morgan Bertsch became the first UC Davis player to be drafted into the WNBA, selected by the Dallas Wings in the third round with the 29th overall pick, after setting the school’s scoring record and finishing her career ranked third all-time in the history of the Big West with 2,422 career points. In 2018, three of her charges reached the 1,000 career point milestone in biomedical engineering major Bertsch (only the fourth junior in the history of the program to accomplish the feat), political science major Pele Gianotti, and psychology major Rachel Nagel. Gianotti finished 11th on the all-time scoring list with 1,222 at the time of her graduation, while Nagel was 18th with 1,077. Bertsch, who led the team in scoring during all four of her collegiate seasons and became the first Aggie player to lead the Big West in scoring at 23.6 ppg as a senior, finished her career by setting 11 new career marks — including the most points ever by a UC Davis basketball player, male or female, with 2,422 — 11 single-season records, and four more single-game records. She ended her career ranked third on the league’s all-time scoring list. In 2022-23, Evanne Turner became the second Aggie to lead the conference in scoring, registering 15.1 ppg to lead the Big West. Coaching at one of the nation’s top public academic institutions, Gross has been the recruiting coordinator for the Aggies since her arrival in 2004 and, as a former three-year CoSIDA Academic All-District VIII honoree, Gross knows what it takes both athletically and academically to succeed at UC Davis. Off the court, and in the classroom, the Aggies have shined. Dani Nafekh was honored as the winner of the university's W.P. Lindley Award as the outstanding scholar-athlete of the year, as well as being named the school's Big West Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year, in 2017, and a CoSIDA Academic All-District second team honoree in 2018. In 2019, Bertsch was named the co-winner of the school’s Hubert Heitman Award as the top female student-athlete, sharing the honor with track and field’s Erinn Beattie. Gross’ student-athletes have gone on to earn a total of 48 Big West All-Academic Team citations while graduates of the program have launched into a variety of professional careers. Many alumnae keep in regular touch with Gross and the staff, following the team closely, and act as resources for the current student-athletes to help them in their future endeavors. In addition, a number of Gross’ former student-athletes have gone on to professional playing careers in Europe, including Gianotti, who won a league championship with her USC Heidelberg BasCats to earn a promotion to the top division in Germany in 2019, and Fipps, who enjoyed an all-star career with the Lakeside Lightning in Australia following a stint in Portugal. After spending time in training camp with the Dallas Wings, Bertsch returned to Davis and graduated with her degree in biomedical engineering before embarking on award-winning stops with powerhouse Sparta&K Vidnoe in the Russian Professional Basketball League — a circuit that has hosted such big names as Breanna Stewart, Brittany Griner, Diana Taurasi, and Sue Bird — and Pszczolka AZS-UMCS Lublin in Poland, earning her a training camp invite with the WNBA’s Connecticut Sun in 2021. Bertsch later signed with the Chicago Sky prior to the 2023 season and joined the Phoenix Mercury a year later. She is one of a number of Gross’ proteges who have gone on to professional careers overseas including: Pele Gianotti (Germany and Luxembourg), Katie Toole (Spain), Nina Bessolo (Greece), Sophia Song (Great Britain), Sydnee Fipps (Portugal and Australia), Alyson Doherty (Germany), Celia Marfone (Germany), Kelsey Harris (Germany), and Brianna Salvatore (Switzerland). As a student-athlete from 1993-97 at UC Davis, Gross set school records for career assists (448), steals (300) and three-pointers (163). Additionally, she ranks 10th all-time at UC Davis in career scoring, compiling 1,243 points. As a senior, Gross led the Aggies to a school-record 29-3 mark and the school’s first appearance at the Division II Elite Eight tournament. UC Davis finished third at the national tourney, beating Bentley in the consolation final. For her part, she won Kodak All-America honorable mention honors and was selected to the Northern California Athletic Conference first team for the second time. However, perhaps her finest achievement was her participation in 101 victories during her four-year career, the winningest span in program history. Gross graduated from UC Davis in 1997, earning her bachelor’s degree in organizational studies. She earned her master’s degree in Sports Coaching from the United States Sports Academy in 2008. After her collegiate career, Gross went on to play professionally in Denmark (July 1997-April 1998) and Israel (July-December 1998). She was inducted into the Cal Aggie Athletics Hall of Fame in 2003. Gross married UC Davis associate head coach Joe Teramoto in 2010 when they were both assistants on former coach Sandy Simpson’s staff. The couple has a son, Joshua, and a daughter, Amelia. GROSS’ TROPHY CASE • 2017 Big West Coach of the Year • 2017 Big West Regular Season Champions • 2018 Big West Coach of the Year • 2018 Finalist for the WBCA National Coach of the Year • 2018 Big West Regular Season Champions • 2019 Big West Regular Season Champions • 2019 Big West Tournament Champions • 2019 Big West Coach of the Year • 2020 Big West Coach of the Year • 2020 Big West Regular Season Champions • 2021 Big West Co-Coach of the Year • 2021 Big West Regular Season Champions • 2021 Big West Tournament Champions GROSS BY THE NUMBERS • .608 Career Winning Pct.  • 258 Career Victories (1st in school history) • 38 Big West All-Academic Team selections • 16 All-Big West first team honorees • 14 Big West all-tournament team selections • 13 Big West Conference Tournament berths • 11 winning seasons as a head coach • 10 All-Big West second team honorees • 10 Big West all-freshman team honorees • 10 All-Big West honorable mention selections • 5 Conference Coach of the Year awards (all consecutive) • 5 Big West Conference Regular Season titles as head coach • 5 Big West All-Defensive Team players (Bertsch - 2019; Hall - 2020, Stobbart - 2021, Konrad - 2021, Epps - 2025) • 3 WNIT berths (2012, 2017, 2018) as head coach • 4 20-win seasons as a head coach • 2 NCAA Tournament berths as head coach (2019, 2021) • 2 Big West Players of the Year (Morgan Bertsch - 2019, Cierra Hall - 2021) • 2 Big West Defensive Players of the Year (Cierra Hall - 2020, Sage Stobbart - 2021) • 2 Big West Conference Tournament Championships • 2 Big West Tournament MVP (Morgan Bertsch - 2019; Cierra Hall - 2021) • 1 CoSIDA Academic All-District selection (Dani Nafekh - 2018) • 1 WNBA Draft Pick (Morgan Bertsch - 3rd Rd, 29th overall, Dallas, 2019) • 1 Big West Freshman of the Year   JENNIFER GROSS YEAR-BY-YEAR AT UC DAVIS Year Position Overall Conference Postseason 2011-12 Head Coach 17-13 9-7 (4th) WNIT 1st Round 2012-13 Head Coach 12-18 7-11 (7th) Big West Tournament 1st Round 2013-14 Head Coach 15-16 9-7 (t4th) Big West Tournament Quarterfinals 2014-15 Head Coach 15-16 8-8 (t5th) Big West Tournament Semifinals 2015-16 Head Coach 19-13 10-6 (4th) Big West Tournament Finals 2016-17 Head Coach 25-8 14-2 (1st) WNIT 3rd Round 2017-18 Head Coach 28-7 14-2 (1st) WNIT Quarterfinals 2018-19 Head Coach 25-7 15-1 (1st) NCAA 1st Round 2019-20 Head Coach 17-12 12-4 (1st) Big West Tournament Semifinals* 2020-21 Head Coach 13-3 9-1 (1st) NCAA 1st Round 2021-22 Head Coach 15-13 8-8 (7th) Big West Tournament Semifinals 2022-23 Head Coach 16-14 12-7 (4th) Big West Tournament Quarterfinals 2023-24 Head Coach 20-14 13-7 (t3rd) Big West Tournament Finals       2024-25 Head Coach 21-12 13-7 (t3rd) Big West Tournament Finals TOTALS 14 Years 258-166 153-78 * 2019-20 Postseason canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic… UC Davis was the top seed in the Big West Tournament and scheduled to face Cal Poly in the semifinals before the event was canceled.

With more than a decade’s worth of experience on the sidelines with the UC Davis women’s basketball program, Associate Head Coach Joe Teramoto enters his 20th season with the Aggies in 2025-26, serving as the team’s “defensive coordinator” and focusing on post player development, while working with all facets of the program. Teramoto joined the UC Davis staff in June of 2006, and has helped guide the program to perennial postseason success as the Aggies have extended their season with NCAA Tournament (2011, 2019, and 2021) or Women’s National Invitation Tournament berths (2008, 2010, 2012, 2017, 2018, and 2026) throughout the Aggies Division I era. Over the last seven years, UC Davis has won 134 games — including three seasons of 20-or-more wins as well as 25 victories and the program’s second-ever berth in the NCAA Tournament in 2019, taking on second-seeded Stanford in the first round. Prior to that, the Aggies racked up 28 wins (a program Division I record and the second-highest single-season total in school history) and advanced to the “Elite Eight” of the WNIT — the furthest any Big West school has advanced in that tournament — in 2018, and made an appearance in the WNIT “Sweet 16” following a 25-win season in 2017. In conference play, UC Davis has been the “queens of the court,” posting a 55-9 league record during its back-to-back-to-back-to-back title run. Working on developing UC Davis’ inside presence, Teramoto has helped produce some of the top post players in school history, including four-time All-Big West selection — and 2019 Big West Player of the Year — Morgan Bertsch, who became the first Aggie ever to be drafted by a WNBA team in 2019 when she was selected in the third round (29th overall) by the Dallas Wings. In recent years, Teramoto's development of post players has translated into the flourishing of Aggie all-time rebounder Megan Norris, who finished her career as the leader in career, single-season, and single-game rebounds for the program while receiving All-Defensive and Big West First-Team nods in 2025-26. Bertsch, who led the team in scoring during all four of her collegiate seasons, finished her career by setting 11 new career marks — including the most points ever by a UC Davis basketball player, male or female — 11 single-season records, and four more single-game records. Meanwhile, Paige Mintun, who led the team in both scoring (13.0 ppg) and rebounding (4.5 rpg) as the Aggies posted 21 wins and claimed their first Big West regular season crown in 2011, paced the Aggies in scoring in each of her final three seasons, Alyson Doherty was named to the Big West All-Freshman Team in her debut, followed that up with three all-conference honors, and ranks seventh on the school’s all-time scoring list, while Celia Marfone finished among the top 10 in the Big West in rebounding in each of her final three collegiate seasons and is tied for sixth all time in career rebounds with 682. In addition, Ellen Porshneva (2004-07), who became the 12th Aggie to score 1,000 points for her career and ranks ninth on the school’s all-time scoring list with 1,251 points, along with Big West Conference Freshman of the Year Lauren Juric (2009-12), were two other posts that flourished under Teramoto’s tutelage in the program’s Division I infancy. At the defensive end, Teramoto has helped put together some of the stingiest defenses in school history, including the 2019 squad which led the Big West in scoring defense (57.0 ppg), field goal percentage defense (.339), and three-point percentage defense (.273), while ranking No. 27, No. 5, and No. 16, in the nation in those categories, respectively. UC Davis has led the league in scoring defense in three of the last four seasons and field goal percentage defense in each of the last four years, with the 57.0 ppg allowed in 2018-19 the lowest for a league leader since UC Santa Barbara allowed just 52.9 ppg in 2012-13, and the .339 field goal percentage defense the lowest in the history of the league. His defenses have allowed fewer than 63 points per game 10 times in his previous 14 years. Prior to his arrival at UC Davis, Teramoto served as an assistant coach at Saint Mary’s from 2003-06. During his three years with the Gaels, he was involved in all aspects of the program and primarily worked with post players. Teramoto graduated from Cal Poly in 2002 with a bachelor’s degree in biological sciences and a minor in biotechnology. He earned his master’s in educational leadership, also from Cal Poly, in 2007. While still in high school and college, Teramoto spent three seasons coaching junior high basketball before moving up for three seasons at San Luis Obispo HS. As the varsity coach in 2002-03, the Tigers finished 22-3 overall and 12-0 in the Pac-5 League. A native of Concord, Calif., Teramoto prepped at Ygnacio Valley HS where he competed in basketball, water polo, tennis, and swimming, earning 10 varsity letters and graduating as the only student in Warrior history to be named Athlete of the Year and valedictorian in the same year. Teramoto married UC Davis head coach Jennifer Gross in 2010 when they were both assistants on former coach Sandy Simpson’s staff. The couple has a son, Joshua, and a daughter, Amelia.

A former professional player overseas for seven years, James enters her third season as Director of Administration for UC Davis women's basketball in 2026-27. A four year letterwinner at Arizona, James returns to her roots in the Sacramento area with her first coaching gig with the Aggies. As Director of Administration, James records and cuts film for both team practices and opposing teams, often seen on the sideline working to ensure that the Aggies have what they need to study on film day in and day out.  

A sideline veteran with coaching experience at nearly every level, Assistant Coach Matt Klemin enters his 15th season as a member of the UC Davis women’s basketball coaching staff in 2025-26, focusing his efforts on skill development, working with the Aggies’ guards, opponent scouts, and helping coordinate the program’s recruiting efforts. As the Aggies have adjusted their recruiting efforts to reflect the modern world of college athletics, Klemin has led the way in that rebranding, focusing more on bringing in transfers to shore up the team year after year. Notable transfers brought in by Klemin over the last couple of seasons have included 1,000 point scorer Tova Sabel, former UC Irvine Anteater Victoria Baker, and Manhattan University Jasper Tegan Young. Klemin joined the UC Davis sidelines prior to the 2011-12 season, and has helped guide the program to perennial postseason success as the Aggies have extended their season with NCAA Tournament (2011, 2019, and 2021) or Women’s National Invitation Tournament berths (2008, 2010, 2012, 2017, 2018, and 2026) in nine of his seasons on the sideline, while laying claim to each of the last four Big West Conference regular season titles and a league tournament crown in 2019. Over the last seven years, UC Davis has won 134 games — including three seasons of 20-or-more wins and claiming 25 victories and the program’s second-ever berth in the NCAA Tournament in 2019, taking on second-seeded Stanford in the first round. Prior to that, the Aggies racked up 28 wins (a program Division I record and the second-highest single-season total in school history) and advanced to the “Elite Eight” of the WNIT — the furthest any Big West school has advanced in that tournament — in 2018, and made an appearance in the WNIT “Sweet 16” following a 25-win season in 2017. In conference play, UC Davis has been the “queens of the court,” posting a 55-9 league record during its back-to-back-to-back-to-back title run and winning 10-or-more games in Big West action in each of the last five seasons. With his assistance, guards Samantha Meggison (2011-12) and Cortney French (2012-13) earned All-Big West Conference honors in his first two seasons, while later helping Kelsey Harris rank among the nation’s top three-point shooters during her two seasons as an Aggie, eventually finishing No. 3 in the nation while setting school and conference records in numerous three-point categories in 2014-15. Sydnee Fipps, a three-time All-Big West Conference first team selection who led the team in scoring for three consecutive seasons, finished her career as the No. 2 scorer in the program’s history with 1,636 points, and stands among the top 10 in seven other categories entering the 2018-19 season. She has played professionally overseas in Portugal and Australia, earning WSBL All-Star honors with the Lakeside Lightning in the latter. Recent graduates Pele Gianotti, a three-time All-Big West selection, and Rachel Nagel, who earned second team honors as a senior, reached the 1,000-point milestone in 2017-18 and both finished among the top 20 in the history of the program in scoring as well as numerous other categories, while guard Kourtney Eaton set the program’s career record for assists — a mark that also ranked seventh in Big West history upon her graduation in 2019. Gianotti embarked on a professional career after graduation, signing with a club in Germany, who Nagel returned to her hometown to coach her high school’s varsity team before undertaking graduate school. Prior to the Aggies, Klemin spent five seasons as an assistant coach in Southern California, spending two years at Vanguard University in Costa Mesa, California, one season at Azusa Pacific, and two more campaigns at Cal Baptist University in Riverside, California. A 2004 graduate of Cal Poly, Klemin also spent two seasons as an assistant coach and director of basketball operations for the Mustangs’ women’s team from 2004-06, helping them to the second round of the conference tournament in his second year. As an undergraduate, Klemin began his coaching career as an assistant varsity coach and junior varsity head coach at San Luis Obispo HS, while also holding positions at the AAU and middle school levels, as well as an instructor at a number of summer camps. Klemin earned his bachelor’s degree in graphic communications and added a master’s degree in education administration from Cal Poly a year later. He and his wife, Lindsay, were married in 2014, and the couple resides in Sacramento with their son, Wyatt, and daughter, Harper.

Former WNBA player and Sacramento native, Vicki Baugh, joined Head Coach Jennifer Gross' staff as an assistant coach in May of 2023. Working primarily with the Aggies post players, Baugh has been instrumental in the continued development of UC Davis center Megan Norris. In 2025 and 2026, Baugh's coaching helped elevate Norris to become one of the best in the country. After she broke the single-season Division I rebounding record in 2025, Norris then became the school's all-time rebounder while also being named All-Defense and First Team All-Conference by the Big West. Baugh graduated from Sacramento High School in 2007, selected that year as a First Team All-American by USA Today, Parade Magazine, EA Sports, and McDonald's. As a senior, she averaged 17.6 points, 12.2 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 2.1 steals, and 3.4 blocks per game, leading the Dragons to a 29-4 record and the Northern California Division III final. The Sacramento native was a standout for the University of Tennessee, reaching the NCAA Tournament in all four of her playing seasons with the Lady Volunteers. She won a national championship with the squad in the 2007-08 season before battling injuries for the next two years. Baugh battled back to enjoy an excellent end to her collegiate career, leading her team to back-to-back SEC titles and Elite Eight finishes in the NCAA Tournament. In her senior season, Baugh capped off her career in the college ranks by leading the Lady Vols in shooting percentage. Baugh ascended to the professional level when she was drafted in the 3rd round (25th overall) of the 2012 WNBA draft by the Tulsa Shock. She spent two years with the Shock, playing 67 games across the 2014 and 2015 seasons before joining the San Antonio Stars in 2016. Baugh then took her talents overseas, enjoying stints in South Korea and Europe from 2017 to 2022 before moving on to her coaching career.

Mia Gallo, who brings a variety of experience and passion for the game, has served as an assistant coach and director of operations for the last two seasons. In her time with the Aggies, Gallo has made a significant impact on the team both in coaching and on the operations side. In 2025-26, she was able to coordinate road games in tough environments for her team, including trips to Boise State and Gonzaga. Additionally, her work behind the scenes helped to foster and execute an early season matchup with Idaho at home, a game that became the most attended women's basketball game in UC Davis history.   Gallo joins UC Davis from Rice University, where she spent two successful seasons as the video coordinator for the women’s basketball team. Her expertise in video analysis and scouting reports was instrumental to the team’s growth and development. During her tenure with the Owls, Gallo made significant contributions to a program that ultimately delivered a 2024 AAC Tournament Championship and NCAA Tournament appearance.   Gallo’s coaching journey includes a successful stint as a graduate assistant coach at Southern Miss, where she contributed to the team’s impressive 18-12 overall record. While at Southern Miss, she gained valuable experience with player development and different aspects of game strategy.   Prior to her stint in Hattiesburg, Miss., Gallo served as a graduate assistant coach at Boise State, where she began to develop her coaching skills at the Division I level. Her responsibilities included video exchange, on-court coaching, and creating detailed scouting reports.    A former student-athlete herself, Gallo played for Cal State Fullerton and played 52 games over three seasons for the Titans. She graduated from Cal State Fullerton in 2019 with a degree in kinesiology. She then earned her first master’s degree (M.S. Athletic Leadership) at Boise State before earning another (M.S. Sport Management) at Southern Miss.