Now in his third season as assistant coach, Nick Booker joined the UC San Diego coaching staff in 2020-21 after spending three seasons as the associate head coach at Eastern Washington.
“I am really excited to welcome Nick and his family and we are thrilled to add them to our Triton Family,” said head coach Eric Olen. “Coach Booker brings a wealth of knowledge and experience that will be invaluable as we transition to Division I and the Big West Conference. He is committed to helping our players reach their potential and I know they will benefit from his ability to teach and mentor.”
At EWU, Booker was responsible for leading player skill development with emphasis on post players, and on-court coaching with defensive emphasis. He also oversaw academic monitoring, recruiting, practice planning, in-season opponent scouting and summer camps.
In three seasons at Eastern Washington, Booker helped the Eagles win 59 games overall, 41 in Big Sky Conference play and a Big Sky championship in 2019-20. He also helped develop a pair of Big Sky Players of the Year: Bogdan Bliznyuk (2017-18) and Mason Pealting (2019-20). As a result of that success, on May 16, 2020, silverwavesmedia.com acknowledged him as one of the top 50 impactful NCAA Division I assistant coaches in the nation and Booker was also named as the top assistant coach in the Big Sky by Stadium.
Before joining the Eastern Washington staff, Booker spent the 2016-17 season at his alma mater, Davidson College, as director of basketball operations. The previous six seasons he was at UC Irvine, including the last five as an assistant coach.
For Booker, the move to UC San Diego represents a homecoming. Booker grew up in nearby Oceanside and attended The Bishop's School in La Jolla.
He graduated from Davidson College in 2004 with a bachelor’s degree in history. Booker was a member of the Wildcats team under current Davidson College head coach Bob McKillop. He was a starter for the 2002 Southern Conference championship team that competed in the NCAA Tournament against Ohio State. As a senior, Booker led Davidson in blocked shots and steals.
He earned his master’s degree in physical education from Azusa Pacific in 2010.
Booker is married to Alayna Booker and has four children: Philip, Kaleb, Ella, and Madisyn.
