Renee Jimenez Named CSUSM Head Women's Basketball Coach
Courtesy – CSUSM Sports Information
SAN MARCOS – Cal State San Marcos Director of Athletics Jennifer Milo announced the hiring of Renee Jimenez as head coach of the Cougar women's basketball team. She brings a wealth of knowledge as a head coach in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA), compiling a 125-71 record in the past seven seasons.
"Renee brings instant and extensive head coaching experience in the CCAA to our Department of Athletics," Milo said. "This is crucial as we begin to play a CCAA conference schedule next fall. Renee's coaching culture and philosophy match well with our institution's and department's mission. She believes in developing our student-athletes so that they will be successful beyond the basketball court and after completing their degree."
Jimenez has coached the past two seasons at Cal State San Bernardino, registering a 28-25 record. The Coyotes earned a berth to the CCAA Tournament this season, falling to top-seed and eventual champion Cal State Dominguez Hills in overtime of the semifinals. The 2014-15 squad was the 13th most improved team in NCAA Division II, finishing with a 19-9 overall record.
In her two years at CSUSB, the women's basketball team's grade point average increased from 2.5 to 3.04 through recruitment and enhanced academic engagement.
"I am humbled, excited and honored to be the next head coach at Cal State San Marcos," said Jimenez. "I'll be surrounded by tremendous coaches and a first-class athletics department whose vision and commitment to their student-athletes is second to none. I'm excited to lead this program into the CCAA and NCAA Division II with the absolute belief that Cal State San Marcos is a sleeping giant."
Prior to her arrival at CSUSB, Jimenez led the Cal State Monterey Bay women's basketball team to unprecedented heights in her five seasons at the helm. She guided the program to national acclaim with three consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances and a 97-46 record.
The 2011 squad finished with a 27-4 record, setting a school record for fewest losses in a single season to go with a No. 1 ranking in the West Region. The Otters won the 2011 CCAA regular-season title in which she was named the conference's Coach of the Year. All told, she has coached 12 All-CCAA performers.
Jimenez's philosophy is "team defense wins games". Her 2010-11 Otters were top in Division II for scoring defense, allowing 51.2 points per game. Included in that was a CCAA record-setting performance in which they allowed Cal State East Bay only 21 points in a 51-21 win on Feb. 3, 2011.
The Otters also performed in the classroom under Jimenez's tutelage, producing 13 CCAA All-Academic.
Jimenez is a 2004 graduate of San Francisco State University, where she played three seasons for the Gators and became the school's all-time leading 3-point scorer. Her coaching career began at Stanford (2004-05), where she served as a video coordinator for Hall of Famer Tara VanDerveer. After leaving Stanford, she spent three seasons (2005-08) as an assistant coach at San Diego State.
"Coming to CSUSM will give myself, our staff and players a very special community to be a part of, allow us to build a program together, and create an incredible tradition that we will all be proud of for years to come," said Jimenez. "We will recruit the highest quality people, who are both students and athletes, to help us achieve the championship caliber program that we envision.
"Our 'team first' mentality will carry these young women past their basketball years and into amazing professional careers of whatever they so choose."