LOS ANGELES — With the start of a new basketball season barely two weeks away, UC San Diego basketball head coaches Clint Allard '08 and Heidi VanDerveer appeared at the 2026 John R. Wooden Award Tip-Off Luncheon, held Wednesday at the Los Angeles Athletic Club. This year's event marked the first time both women's and men's coaches were invited to speak at the event, which featured Division I programs throughout Southern California.

"I'm excited about our team," VanDerveer told those in attendance. "We've got a solid core back; our young players have been making some young player mistakes -- but that's to be expected and we've got time to get those things corrected."
 
"We're just trying to keep up with Heidi's team. Two years eligible for the Division I NCAA Tournament and two berths," Allard remarked. "We've got a strong group of returners plus some really talented new pieces. This is a time of year to build habits that will help us throughout the season."

The Los Angeles Athletic Club annually presents the John Wooden Award. The LAAC also presents the Wooden Award Legends of Coaching honor each year.
 
All UC San Diego basketball home games will be broadcast on ESPN+ and tickets are on sale now. To purchase season or single game tickets, visit the Triton Box Office at https://ucsdtritons.com/tickets.
 
About UC San Diego Athletics
After two decades as one of the most successful programs in NCAA Division II, the UC San Diego intercollegiate athletics program has begun a new era as a member of The Big West in NCAA Division I. The 24-sport Tritons earned 30 team and nearly 150 individual national championships during its time in Divisions II and III and helped guide 1,400 scholar-athletes to All-America honors. A total of 84 Tritons have earned Academic All-America honors, while 39 have garnered prestigious NCAA Post Graduate Scholarships. UC San Diego scholar-athletes exemplify the academic ideals of one of the world's preeminent institutions, graduating at an average rate of 90 percent, the highest rate among public institutions in NCAA Division I or II. For more information on the Tritons, visit UCSDtritons.com or follow UC San Diego Athletics on social media @UCSDtritons.