Cal Bears Basketball Coaching Staff

Mark Madsen

Mark Madsen, a two-time NBA champion with East Bay roots and a proven track record as both a college and professional coach, was named the 19th head coach in California men’s basketball history on March 29, 2023. After reinvigorating the Cal program and its fan base with a 10-win improvement in his first year at the helm in 2023-24, Madsen led the Golden Bears into their inaugural season as members of the Atlantic Coast Conference in 2024-25.

Madsen’s first year in Bear Territory was marked by Cal’s best finish in the Pac-12 Conference standings since 2016-17 with a tie for sixth place (13-19, 9-11). The Bears’ nine conference wins – each against a different opponent, including marquee victories against UCLA and NCAA Tournament teams Washington State, Oregon and Colorado – were the fourth-most by a first-year head coach in program history.

Madsen was awarded a two-year contract extension in March 2024, keeping him in Berkeley until 2030.

Cal won 10 home games, including six of its final eight, inside Has Pavilion in 2023-24. The final eight-game span was spotlighted by Cal’s first sold-out crowd since Jan. 29, 2017, when 11,801 were on hand for the Bears’ 83-77 overtime win against USC on Feb. 7, 2024. That sellout was sandwiched by attendances of 8,710 against Stanford on Jan. 26 and 9,280 against UCLA on Feb. 10.

Cal won 14 games in 2024-25 and reached the ACC Tournament second round following a double-overtime win over Virginia Tech in the opening round; the Bears became just the second No. 15 seed to win a game in the ACC Tournament. Cal went 11-6 at home in Madsen's second year – including wins over ACC foes Virginia, Florida State, Miami, NC State and Boston College – and picked up a 71-66 road win at USC in nonconference play.

'Mad Dog' – the nickname Madsen received from his fifth grade P.E. teacher at Montair Elementary School in Danville – didn't waste a second in implementing his vision for Cal men's basketball. He and his staff aggressively pursued some of the top recruits in the country in the transfer portal and on the high school level, and On3 ranked the Bears' 2023 transfer class as the eighth-best in the nation. That transfer class was highlighted by Jaylon Tyson – who went on to be selected No. 20 overall in the first round of the 2024 NBA Draft by the Cleveland Cavaliers in June 2024 – and Fardaws Aimaq, who led the Pac-12 in rebounding (11.0 RPG) and was one of only six major-conference players to average a double-double in the 2023-24 season.

Madsen and company restocked the Cal roster again through the transfer portal heading into the 2024-25 campaign; 10 of Cal’s 11 scholarship newcomers this season are transfers, making up the 12th-ranked transfer class in the country (On3). Among the 11 total scholarship newcomers were sophomore guard and All-ACC Team honorable mention Andrej Stojakovic – who increased his scoring from 7.8 PPG to 17.9 PPG in a single season after transferring from Stanford – and freshman guard Jeremiah Wilkinson, who was named 2024-25 ACC Sixth Man of the Year and earned a spot on the ACC All-Rookie Team on the way to one of the most dynamic freshman seasons in program history.

Following a decorated playing career which included a trip to the NCAA Final Four at Stanford and two NBA championships while playing for the Los Angeles Lakers, Madsen is considered a rising star in the coaching ranks. Prior to Cal, he most recently led Utah Valley to the semifinals of the 2023 NIT. Madsen was named the 2023 Western Athletic Conference Coach of the Year and led the Wolverines to a pair of conference titles during his four seasons at the helm. He was well-recognized for his efforts during the 2022-23 campaign as he was named District Coach of the Year by both the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) and the United States Basketball Writers Association (USBWA) and a finalist for the Hugh Durham National Coach of the Year award, which is presented annually to the top Division I mid-major coach in college basketball.

Madsen was 70-51 (.578) overall and 39-25 (.609) in WAC play in four seasons at Utah Valley. Following an 11-win season in his first year in 2019-20, Madsen led the Wolverines to a share of the WAC regular-season title in 2020-21 and back-to-back 20-win seasons in 2021-22 and 2022-23. Madsen’s 2022-23 squad won a program record 28 games and was an impressive 15-3 in WAC play. Led by sophomore Aziz Bandaogo, the 2022-23 Wolverines led the country in blocks per game (6.6) and ranked fifth in field-goal percentage defense (39%) and sixth in rebounds per game (40.06), nationally. Utah Valley earned a road victory against Pac-12 Conference foe Utah, 77-72, in Eugene on Dec. 20. In 2021-22, Madsen’s Wolverines finished 20-12 overall and notched signature wins against No. 12 BYU and at Washington.

Under Madsen's guidance, Fardaws Aimaq – who reunited with Madsen as the first transfer to join the Bears ahead of the 2023-24 season – earned back-to-back WAC Defensive Player of the Year honors and was named to the All-WAC first team both years (2020-21, 2021-22). The big man posted a WAC record 27 double-doubles during the 2021-22 season, tied for the fifth-most in a single-season in NCAA history with Oscar Robertson, Lew Alcindor, Artis Gilmore, Bill Walton and Pascal Siakam.

Madsen spent six seasons as an assistant coach for the Los Angeles Lakers (2013-19) prior to leading Utah Valley. During his time on the Los Angeles bench, he coached NBA superstars LeBron James, Kobe Bryant and Steve Nash, among others. He also played alongside some of the NBA’s greatest players, including Bryant, Shaquille O’Neal and Kevin Garnett. Following three seasons played with the Lakers (2000-03), Madsen played six further seasons with the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Madsen’s first coaching position came as an assistant coach for the Utah Flash of the NBA Development League during the 2009-10 season. He later returned to his alma mater to earn an MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business in 2012 and spent the 2012-13 season as an assistant coach for the Cardinal, working in recruiting, opponent game planning and player development.

A 2019 Stanford Athletics Hall of Fame inductee, Madsen earned All-America honors twice while helping lead the Cardinal to four NCAA Tournament appearances – including the 1998 Final Four – in as many seasons played from 1996-2000. He averaged 10.9 points and 7.0 rebounds per game in his Stanford career and ranks fourth in field goal percentage (.587) and sixth in rebounds (857) in program history. Madsen earned an undergraduate degree in economics from Stanford in 2000.

Madsen served a two-year mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Spain. Madsen and his wife, Hannah, have three sons (William, Leroy and Mark) and two daughters (Alexandria and Anastasia).

THE MADSEN FILE
Personal
Hometown: Danville, Calif.
Family: Wife: Hannah; Sons (3): William, Leroy, Mark; Daughters (2): Alexandria, Anastasia
Alma Mater: Stanford, 2000 & 2012 (BA, economics; MBA)

Playing Experience
1996-2000: Stanford
2000-03: Los Angeles Lakers
2003-09: Minnesota Timberwolves

Coaching Experience
2009-10: Utah Flash (Assistant Coach)
2012-13: Stanford (Assistant Coach)
2013: Los Angeles D-Fenders (Head Coach)
2013-19: Los Angeles Lakers (Assistant Coach)
2019-23: Utah Valley (Head Coach)
2023-Present: California (Head Coach)

WHAT THEY’RE SAYING ABOUT MARK MADSEN
“Mark Madsen is an incredible human being. He has a tremendous amount of passion for the game and his players along with remarkable character. I’d be ecstatic to have a son play for him and work with him daily.” – Steve Nash, 2018 Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame inductee and two-time NBA Most Valuable Player

"Mark is one of the brightest coaches in college basketball today. Besides his basketball knowledge, the thing that sets Mark apart is his high moral character. He will be a fantastic representative of the Cal family." – Mike D’Antoni, Two-time NBA Coach of the Year

"Mark is one of the hardest working, most knowledgeable coaches I have ever had the pleasure of working with. His attention to details, his passion for the game and his ability to teach have led him to have great success as a coach. On top of that he’s a great man, great friend, and parents will be lucky to have him help lead their kids.” – Luke Walton, Three-time NBA champion and former NBA head coach

“Mark was not just my teammate but my friend. I’m excited to witness all of his success both playing and coaching the game. Mark’s love for basketball is over the top; his willingness to learn the game from coaches and teammates throughout his career has set him up to be a great coach. I’m excited to see what this next chapter brings him.” – Robert Horry, Seven-time NBA champion

"Mark Madsen is one of the best human beings I’ve ever met. I was lucky to be teammates with him in college where he consistently demonstrated leadership, hustle and true friendship each and every day. His drive and positive energy inspired all of us to improve and work harder to achieve our goals. I’m so proud to see the coach he has become and how his players can look to him as an excellent role model for future success in all parts of their lives.” – Jason Collins, 15-year NBA veteran

“Mark was the teammate that every championship-level team must have on it; a player with boundless focus and energy coupled with a high basketball IQ and a willingness to sacrifice for his teammates and the greater team goal. Some people call those players the glue player – I call it the heart and soul of any successful team.” – Rick Fox, Three-time NBA champion

Adam Mazarei

Adam Mazarei, a proven leader and skill developer who played an instrumental role in a turnaround at Vanderbilt and spent six successful seasons at the NBA level, joined the California men’s basketball program as an associate head coach in April 2023.

Mazarei, a native of Thousand Oaks, California, returned to the West Coast after four seasons (2019-23) on staff at Vanderbilt under head coach Jerry Stackhouse, the final year in which he was an associate head coach. His impact at Vanderbilt was swift, as he oversaw team skill development and scouting while assisting with practice planning, player development, recruiting and academics. The Commodores made consecutive NIT quarterfinal appearances in 2021-22 and 2022-23 as part of the program’s first winning seasons since 2016-17, and their 22 wins in 2022-23 were their most in more than a decade.

In Mazarei’s first season in Nashville, sophomore guard Aaron Nesmith, who led the nation in made 3-pointers prior to his injury, and junior guard Saben Lee, who bounced onto the national scene with three 30-point games and an All-SEC selection, were both selected in the 2020 NBA Draft. Nesmith was a lottery pick at 14th overall (Boston) and Lee was 37th overall (Detriot). Under Mazarei’s watch, Scotty Pippen Jr. earned first-team All-SEC accolades and set the school scoring record for a sophomore as he finished second in the SEC with 20.8 points per game in 2020-21 before signing with the Los Angeles Lakers.

In six seasons with the Memphis Grizzlies (2013-19) – three as an assistant coach and three as a player development assistant – the organization made the NBA playoffs four times, including a 55-win campaign in 2014-15 en route to the second round. Mazarei quickly climbed the ladder in Memphis, going from player development coach to advanced scout to NBA personnel scout, all while maintaining his player development duties. As a personnel scout he worked closely with the front office, which included NBA executive Ed Stefanski, to identify potential free agents and prepare new signees in their transition to the team.

Once promoted to assistant coach ahead of the 2016-17 NBA season, he was responsible for the Grizzlies guards and young talent, including Mike Conley, Andrew Harrison and Dillon Brooks. His tenure in Memphis also included work with Tony Allen, who earned NBA first-team all-defense honors as well as James Johnson, JaMychal Green, Ed Davis and Nick Calathes.

Prior to arriving in Memphis, Mazarei spent three years (2010-13) at Moorpark College (Calif.) as an assistant and associate head coach. He also served as a player development coach at the IMPACT Basketball Academy in Las Vegas from 2019-13, where he prepared pre-draftees for the NBA combine and team workouts, including Terrence Ross (Washington), Jamaal Franklin (San Diego State), Phil Pressey (Missouri), Kelly Olynyk (Gonzaga) and Tony Wroten (Washington).

Mazarei’s coaching career began at the grassroots level in 2006 when he founded Kings Basketball Academy, a Southern California-based youth program that helped develop 44 collegiate athletes, including national champion point guard Kihei Clark (Virginia), Riley Battin (Utah), Wes Slajchert (Dartmouth) and Clark Slajchert (Penn) among others.

Mazarei received his master’s degree in athletic administration and coaching from Concordia in 2013 and earned his undergraduate degree in psychology from the University of Redlands (Calif.) in 2006, where he starred at point guard and led the SCIAC in assists per game and paced all NCAA divisions in assist-to-turnover ratio (5:1) as a senior.

Jarred Jackson

Jarred Jackson, a talented on-court player developer who spent three seasons helping Mark Madsen elevate the Utah Valley program to new heights, joined the Golden Bears as an assistant coach ahead of the 2023-24 season. He was formally announced as a member of Madsen’s Cal staff on May 9, 2023.

Jackson arrived in Berkeley following one season spent on the Coastal Carolina women’s basketball staff in 2022-23. Prior to his time with the Chanticleers, Jackson helped Madsen take Utah Valley from an 11-19 mark in their first season in 2019-20 to a 20-12 record in 2021-22.

The 2021-22 season – Jackson’s third on staff at Utah Valley – saw the Wolverines finish their home slate with an impressive 11-2 record, including a 72-65 overtime win over 12th-ranked crosstown rival BYU. Utah Valley also upset Pac-12 foe Washington on the road that season.

In his second year at Utah Valley in 2020-21, Jackson helped the Wolverines to a history-making season as they won the Western Athletic Conference regular-season title. It was only the second WAC title in Utah Valley history and the first since 2013-14. The Wolverines were one of the most unselfish teams in the nation in 2020-21, ranking 11th nationally with 16.8 assists per game.

Utah Valley broke the program’s single-season team blocks record with an impressive 157 rejections in Jackson’s first season in 2019-20. Emmanuel Olojakpoke broke the single-season individual Utah Valley blocks record with 81 blocks and set the Wolverines’ single-season field goal percentage mark at 69.1%.

A total of five Utah Valley players earned All-WAC honors during Jackson’s time in Orem including Cal signee Fardaws Aimaq, who was the 2021 WAC Player of the Year and two-time WAC Defensive Player of the Year in 2021 and 2022.

Jackson was the UT Arlington men’s basketball director of operations in 2018-19 after serving as a graduate assistant at Texas Tech in 2017-18, helping the Red Raiders reach the NCAA Tournament’s Elite 8. He joined the Lander University staff as an assistant coach in 2015 and helped the Bearcats to a Peach Belt Conference title and an NCAA Division II Tournament appearance for the first time in nine years.

Prior to Lander, Jackson served as the boys' basketball associate head coach and head junior varsity coach at West High School under Mike Matheson. His team reached the playoffs in two of his three seasons at WHS. During his tenure at WHS, Jackson coached, developed and mentored six all-region performers.

A two-time All-PBC selection and three-time team captain during his playing career at Lander, Jackson scored 1,388 points and made 214 three-pointers. He led the Bearcats to the 2007 PBC Tournament title and an NCAA Tournament berth.

Jackson earned a bachelor's degree in sociology with a minor in African-American studies from Lander in 2007. He went on to earn his master's degree in sports management and administration from Liberty University. He also earned an associate’s degree in logistics, material and supply chain management from the Community College of the Air Force.

He is married to former TyJha Corbin of Columbia, South Carolina. The couple has one son, Jace.

Ken Moses

Ken Moses, who helped Mark Madsen lead Utah Valley to new heights last season, has joined the newly appointed California men's basketball head coach's staff as an assistant coach.

In Moses' one season on Madsen's staff at Utah Valley, the Wolverines won a program-record 28 games and the outright 2022-23 Western Athletic Conference regular season title while advancing to the NIT Final Four. Moses is the latest addition to a standout staff being assembled by Madsen in Berkeley, which already includes associate head coach Adam Mazarei and fellow assistants Amorrow Morgan and Matt Scherbenske.

"Ken was a pivotal piece of our success at Utah Valley last season and brings a winning pedigree to Berkeley," Madsen said. "Ken is a brilliant tactician, and I've seen firsthand the type of individual and leader that he is. I have no doubt he'll enrich our student-athletes' experiences while helping lead our program into the future. I'm excited to have him with me at Cal."

Before joining Madsen at Utah Valley, Moses was part of two of Montana State's ' most successful seasons this century. Moses helped the Bobcats to a 27-8 record, Big Sky Conference Tournament and regular season titles and an NCAA Tournament berth in 2021-22. It was just the second time in MSU history and the first time in 26 years that the program won both the Big Sky regular season and tournament titles in the same season. The season prior in 2020-21, MSU's 13-10 record was its best by winning percentage in two decades.

Moses spent the 2019-20 season at Southern Illinois as the Salukis' Director of Operations. In his lone season on staff at SIU, Moses helped the Salukis turn into one of the nation's best underdog stories. SIU, which was picked last in the Missouri Valley Conference preseason poll, won 16 games and 10 conference games – the best-ever for a team picked last in its preseason poll.

Prior to SIU, Moses worked two years at NJCAA Division I Missouri State University West Plains (2017-19). The Grizzlies were 45-21 during his two seasons and won the 2018 Region XVI Championship. He coached two All-Americans at West Plains and six players who earned All-Region recognition – including one Region Player of the Year – as the Grizzlies won 68% of their games.

"I'm grateful to continue my coaching career alongside Coach Madsen," Moses said. "It's an honor to work with a coach who does things the right way. Coach Madsen is a great leader, teacher and mentor. I'm excited for the brand of basketball that we're going to bring to Berkeley"

Moses also served a combined four years as a graduate assistant and assistant coach at NCAA Division II Nebraska-Kearney (2013-17). Moses coached one All-American, six all-conference players and one player of the year with the Lopes as the program went 74-44 in his tenure.

A native of Honolulu and 2010 graduate of Colorado State University Pueblo, Moses began his coaching career as an assistant for three seasons at his alma mater from 2010-13. The former ThunderWolves guard was a four-year letter winner at CSU Pueblo (2006-10) and a team captain as a senior.

Matt Scherbenske

Matt Scherbenske, a renowned recruiter who previously spent three seasons on Mike Montgomery’s staff at California, returned to Berkeley as an assistant coach under Mark Madsen ahead of the 2023-24 campaign. His hire was formally announced on April 17, 2023.

Scherbenske spent the 2021-22 and 2022-23 seasons at Texas Tech, where he served as the Red Raiders’ Director of Recruiting. His efforts on the recruiting trail landed Texas Tech the top-rated transfer class and 18th-ranked overall recruiting class nationally in 2022, per 247 Sports. The Red Raiders reached the 2021 NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 and won 43 combined games in Scherbenske’s two years in Lubbock.

Prior to Texas Tech, Scherbenske spent six seasons (2015-21) playing a pivotal role in turning around Central Arkansas' program. He was the Bears' associate head coach in 2020-21 after five seasons as an assistant coach. Scherbenske helped UCA set a program Division I record with 18 wins and win its first postseason game in the CBI first round in 2017-18. The Bears' 2018 recruiting class was ranked No. 1 in the Southland Conference according to 247 Sports, while 247 Sports also tabbed Scherbenske as the 57th best recruiter nationally the same season.

Scherbenske's original stint in Berkeley was a three-year span (2011-14) in which the Golden Bears won 66 games and made three postseason appearances – including two NCAA Tournament berths – under Montgomery. After spending the 2011-12 season as a graduate assistant at Cal, Scherbenske accepted the Director of Basketball Operations title at The Citadel, only to quickly return to Berkeley when Montgomery hired him back as the Bears' Video Coordinator ahead of the 2012-13 campaign. Scherbenske assisted in the development of Cal standouts and NBA Draft picks Allen Crabbe and Jabari Bird.

After earning his undergraduate degree in business management from Kentucky in 2010, Scherbenske interned with NBA skill trainers Mike Procopio and Tim Grover and helped work out a multitude of NBA stars including Kevin Durant, Dwayne Wade, Anthony Davis and Gilbert Arenas. He served as the head coach at Christ Prep Academy (Lenexa, Kansas) in 2010-11 and was also an assistant coach for the AAU KC RUN GMC squad.

Scherbenske played two seasons at Kentucky (2007-09) after transferring from Oral Roberts following his freshman season (2006-07). While at Kentucky, Scherbenske made the SEC All-Academic Team and played with more than 10 NBA draft picks. He played one prep season at perennial powerhouse Oak Hill Academy prior to arriving at Oral Roberts.

Scherbenske is a native of Lexington, Kentucky.

Isaiah Wilkins

Isaiah Wilkins is in his first season as an assistant coach for the California men’s basketball program. Wilkins, a former Virginia standout and the 2018 ACC Defensive Player of the Year, joined Mark Madsen’s staff ahead of the 2025-26 campaign.

Wilkins got his start in coaching as a graduate assistant at his alma mater in 2021 and held that position for two seasons before he was promoted to assistant coach prior to the 2023-24 season. Virginia won 20-plus games three times and played in the NCAA tournament twice with Wilkins on staff.

Wilkins helped the Cavaliers win two ACC regular-season titles and one ACC Tournament title in addition to making four NCAA tournament appearances and post a 113-26 record during his four seasons played from 2015-18. He was named ACC Defensive Player of the Year in 2018 and was a two-time All-ACC Defensive team honoree. Wilkins averaged 4.9 points and 4.8 rebounds in 132 career games for the Cavaliers and ranks fifth on the program’s career blocked shots list with 141.

He went on to play three years professionally, including stints with Ratiopharm Ulm in Germany’s top league, the BBL, in 2020-21, Polpharma Starogard Gdanski in the Polish Basketball League in 2019-20, Canterbury of the NBL (New Zealand) in 2019 – he was the NBL Defensive Player of the Year – and the Greensboro Storm of the NBA G League in 2018-19.

Wilkins is a double graduate of Virginia, having earned his undergraduate degree in African American and African studies in 2018 and a master’s degree in higher education in 2023.

Wilkins is married to Catalina Pinto.

Matt Bradley

Matt Bradley, a two-time All-Pac-12 selection and member of the Golden Bears' 1,000-Point Club, is in his first year as a graduate assistant for the California men's basketball program in 2025-26. He returned to Berkeley during the 2025 offseason to join head coach Mark Madsen's support staff.

Bradley was a decorated guard for the Golden Bears for three seasons (2018-21). He finished his Cal career with 1,289 points, the 21st most by a Golden Bear. He was an All-Pac-12 second team pick in back-to-back seasons in 2019-20 and 2020-21, and he averaged a career-high 18.0 points per game in the latter season.

Bradley transferred to San Diego State following the 2020-21 season and played two more seasons. He capped a decorated collegiate career by leading the Aztecs to a runner-up finish in the 2023 NCAA Championship. Bradley became just the fifth NCAA Division I player since at least the 1996-97 season to score 1,000 points or more at two different universities, as he finished his career with 2,325 points (14.9 PPG).

Bradley played professionally for the Rostock Seawolves of the Basketball Bundesliga – the highest pro level in Germany – during the 2023-24 season.

Bradley hails from San Bernardino, California.

Barry Parsons

Barry Parsons is in his 18th season as an Associate Athletic Trainer overseeing the sports medicine needs of the California men’s basketball program.

Parsons, who also works with the nationally-ranked men’s rowing program at Cal, came to Berkeley in the fall of 2004 after five years as an assistant athletic trainer at Wofford College in Spartanburg, S.C. At Wofford, he assisted with the Terriers’ football and men’s basketball programs.

He also has experience working with the National Football League, assisting with the Carolina Panthers during training camp for five seasons.

Parsons was an Academic All-American as a wide receiver at Garden City Community College in Kansas, before he transferred to Kansas State, where he earned his bachelor’s degree in kinesiology in 1999. He later earned his master’s degree in education from Converse College in South Carolina. During his time at Kansas State, Parsons served as a student athletic trainer for several of the Wildcats’ athletic programs.

Sebastian Hernandez

Sebastian Hernandez is in his first year as the athletic performance coach for the California men’s basketball and women’s tennis programs. He arrived in Berkeley in April 2023, following two seasons spent in the same role - strength & conditioning - at Utah Valley, where he worked with Cal men’s basketball head coach Mark Madsen.

The Wolverines’ men’s basketball team experienced immense success during Hernandez’s two years (2021-22, 2022-23) in Orem, winning 48 total games including a program-record 28 in 2022-23, along with an outright Western Athletic Conference regular-season title and NIT Final Four berth the same season.

Hernandez spent four seasons at his alma mater, Florida State, working as the assistant strength & conditioning coach for the Seminoles’ women’s basketball program. The FSU women finished all four seasons ranked in the top 25 nationally and reached four consecutive NCAA Tournaments (2017-20).

Hernandez served as a strength & conditioning intern at Miami (FL) in 2017, where he aided in the supervision and implementation of S&C for the Hurricanes’ men’s and women’s basketball programs. He was the Director of Strength & Conditioning at Freedom Christian Academy (Fayetteville, NC) for three years from 2014-16.

Hernandez is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist through the National Strength and Conditioning Association. He earned his undergraduate degree in sport management from Florida State in 2019 and later received his master’s in exercise science from Concordia University Chicago in 2020.

Hernandez, his wife Stephanie, and their son Kai are natives of Miami, FL and currently reside in the Bay Area.

Anthony Rini

Anthony Rini has served as the Coordinator of Recruiting Operations for the California men's basketball program for two seasons, having joined Mark Madsen's staff in 2023-24. He helped lead the Golden Bears through their first season as members of the Atlantic Coast Conference in his second year on staff in 2024-25.

Rini's leadership in the Golden Bears' recruiting efforts has been felt since he arrived on campus in the spring of 2023. Cal landed the eighth-ranked transfer class in the country (On3) in 2023, highlighted by Jaylon Tyson – who went on to be selected No. 20 overall in the first round of the 2024 NBA Draft by the Cleveland Cavaliers in June 2024 – and Fardaws Aimaq, who led the Pac-12 in rebounding (11.0 RPG) and was one of only six major-conference players to average a double-double in the 2023-24 season.

The Bears restocked their roster again through the transfer portal in the 2024 offseason; 10 of Cal’s 11 scholarship newcomers came via the transfer portal and collectively ranked as the No. 12 transfer class in the country (On3). Among the 11 total scholarship newcomers were sophomore guard Andrej Stojakovic (2024-25 All-ACC honorable mention; NABC All-Pacific District Team) and freshman guard Jeremiah Wilkinson (2024-25 ACC Sixth Man of the Year; ACC All-Rookie Team).

Rini spent the previous two seasons in Stockton with Pacific men's basketball, most recently serving as the Director of Basketball Operations during the 2022-23 campaign. He joined the Tigers' staff in the fall of 2021 as the Creative Content and Video Coordinator, overseeing film exchange while assisting with scouting and preparing content for recruiting.

Prior to Pacific, Rini was a scouting assistant at Florida where he was responsible for the setup, recording, and live cutting of all the Gators' practices and games. Rini also assisted the coaching staff with editing, organizing and the presentation of scouting materials.

He started his coaching career at Oklahoma. As a graduate assistant, he was involved in the capturing and cutting of Sooners' opponent games. He assisted the coaches with practices and workouts as well as a myriad of operational duties.

Originally from Ohio, he earned his bachelor's degree from Xavier University and his master's degree from the University of Oklahoma.

Blaire Braxton

Blaire Braxton is in her first season as the Director of Operations for the California men's basketball program in 2025-26. She previously served as the program's Director of Business Operations for two season (2023-25), having joined Mark Madsen's support staff in 2023.

She serves in a crucial role with oversight of the team's day-to-day operations, including managing travel itineraries, team meals and budgetary needs.

One of the most recognizable faces in the Montana State women's basketball program in recent memory, Braxton served as an assistant coach for two seasons (2020-22) after a decorated playing career (2016-20) that ended in her playing a school-record 125 games for the Bobcats. Braxton's role on the Montana State bench included responsibilities in recruiting, coordinating official and unofficial visits, assisting in post development, serving as assistant defensive coordinator, serving as the program’s academic liaison, running the program's social media platforms and assisting with Bobcat camps.

Braxton received her degree in business management with a minor in entrepreneurship from Montana State in 2020.

Nathan Martin

Amelia Johnson

CK Hicks

Christopher “CK” Hicks is the Director of Creative Content for the California men’s basketball program, having served in the role for two years since originally arriving in Berkeley ahead of the 2021-22 season. In collaboration with Cal Athletics’ Creative Services team, Hicks oversees all areas of visual communications within Cal men’s basketball, including social media, photo and video content.

Hicks spent the previous two years (July 2019-June 2021) in a Digital Media Fellowship with the UC Davis athletics department, assisting in coverage of the Aggies’ 25 varsity sports.

Hicks earned his undergraduate degree from San José State in 2018 and resides in Davis.