UC Irvine head women’s basketball coach Tamara Inoue has announced the hiring of Jualeah Woods as an assistant coach.
“Since entering collegiate coaching, one of the first names I would hear around the profession as a great recruiter is ‘Coach Y’,” Inoue said. “Getting to know her throughout the years, I have realized that it’s such a small piece to who she is as she has great knowledge of the game and cares so much about the well-being of her players. She’s a competitor with a history of knowing how to win. I am extremely excited to have Jualeah (Coach Y) as part of our staff and the Anteater family.”
Woods brings a wealth of collegiate coaching experience to Irvine, most recently serving as an assistant at USC from 2013-17. In Woods’ first year on staff, the Trojans advanced to the 2014 NCAA Tournament after winning their first-ever Pac-12 Tournament title. Over her four seasons, the Women of Troy went 70-57.
Prior to her stint at USC, Woods spent eight years in multiple roles at San Diego State. She was named SDSU’s interim head coach after two seasons as an associate head coach and six as an assistant. Woods was also the Aztecs’ recruiting coordinator.
During her tenure, San Diego State won two Mountain West Conference regular season and tournament titles, and made three NCAA appearances, including a trip to the Sweet Sixteen in 2010. Woods mentored numerous All-Mountain West Conference performers, highlighted by four-time selection Paris Johnson and 2010 MWC Newcomer of the Year Jessika Bradley.
Woods was previously an assistant at Oregon State for five seasons (2000-05), where she helped the Beavers make four-straight WNIT appearances. She worked closely with the OSU guards, including All-American Felicia Ragland. Woods was also Oregon State’s recruiting coordinator in each of her last three years in Corvallis.
Woods began her coaching career at Santa Monica High School before returning to her hometown of Berkeley for her first collegiate job as an assistant at Cal (1998-2000).
“I am very excited to be joining Coach Inoue’s staff,” Woods said. “UC Irvine is a tremendous academic institution in a beautiful location, the program is on the rise and the staff is committed to building a winner. Coach Inoue is a terrific leader and even better person. I can’t wait to get to work.”
Woods prepped at Berkeley High School, where she garnered honorable mention All-America honors and was tabbed the Northern California Player of the Year as a senior. She went on to play at USC where she was a four-year starter and two-time team captain. Woods led the Trojans to four NCAA Tournaments with runs to the Elite Eight in 1992 and 1994. The Women of Troy also advanced to the Sweet Sixteen in her junior campaign.
Woods earned her bachelor’s degree in public administration from USC in 1994.
http://www.ucirvinesports.com/news/2017/7/17/jualeah-woods-hired-as-assistant-womens-basketball-coach.aspx
