UC Santa Barbara Women’s Basketball Head Coach Renee Jimenez has announced the addition of Assistant Coaches Chelsea Carlisle, Daisy Feder, Dario Frias, Kai Harris and Assistant Coach/Director of Operations Kelsey Forrester. Jimenez’s staff brings a wealth of knowledge and experience from all different levels of basketball.
“When I envisioned building a staff here at UC Santa Barbara, the number one thing to me was that I could surround myself and our student-athletes with phenomenal people with high character and who have a ‘family first’ approach to coaching,” Jimenez said. “I have known Chelsea, Dario, Daisy, Kai and Kelsey since my first few years in coaching, and knowing who each of them are as people and what they will contribute to our program both on and off the court makes me even more excited for our student-athletes.”
Assistant Coach, Chelsea Carlisle
A native of Agoura Hills, Chelsea Carlisle is deemed one of the best players in UC San Diego history. A four-year starter from 2008-12, Carlisle led the Tritons to three CCAA titles and three NCAA Championship appearances during her time with the program. She wrapped up her career with averages of 16.5 points, 4.1 rebounds, 4.9 assists and 2.2 steals in 118 games at UC San Diego. The former Oaks Christian High School product led UCSD to a banner season in 2011-12 as the Tritons won their first 26 games and finished with a school-record 30 victories overall. UC San Diego established the best mark in the history of the CCAA at 21-1, earned the program’s first-ever No. 1 national ranking and claimed the top seed in the NCAA Division II West Regional.
In Carlisle’s first season as an assistant, in 2012-13, the Tritons posted a 22-11 overall record and placed second in the CCAA with a 17-5 mark. UCSD won its first-ever CCAA Tournament title and qualified for NCAA postseason play for the eighth time since joining the NCAA Division II ranks in 2000. After spending four seasons as an assistant coach, she was promoted to associate head coach in the 2016-17 season. She went on to help lead UC San Diego to a 23-7 overall and 17-3 CCAA record. After taking its fifth and second-consecutive league title, UC San Diego advanced to the CCAA Tournament championship game and was defeated by Cal State East Bay. The Tritons traveled to Anchorage, Alaska and fell to Simon Fraser in the first round of the NCAA West Regional.
“I couldn’t be more excited about this amazing opportunity at UC Santa Barbara. I can’t wait to work with the exceptional student-athletes at a world-class institution. Coach Jimenez has built a family-first, winning culture everywhere she has been and we look forward to doing the same here. We will work hard every day to give our student-athletes a great experience. Go Gauchos!”
After earning WBCA Thirty Under 30 honors in 2017, Carlisle helped guide the Tritons to a 28-5 overall record with a 21-1 mark in CCAA play during the 2017-18 season. UC San Diego won its third-consecutive CCAA regular-season championship en route to an appearance in the NCAA West Region Semifinals. The Tritons had 11 and 12-game winning streaks during the season, earning victories in 23 out of 24 contests at one point.
Carlisle had an instrumental role in one of the best seasons ever at UC San Diego in 2018-19, leading the Tritons to a program-best 30-0 start to the season en route to capturing CCAA tournament and regular-season titles. UC San Diego finished the season 30-1, reaching the NCAA West Region Semifinals and finishing the year ranked No. 6 in the final WBCA Top 25 Coaches’ Poll.
Assistant Coach, Daisy Feder
Daisy Feder comes to UC Santa Barbara after spending the last three seasons as an assistant coach at LMU. She also served as the Lions Director of Operations before being promoted to assistant coach.
The 2013 UC San Diego graduate helped lead the Lions to the quarterfinals at the conference tournament. As the Graduate Assistant, Feder helped lead the Lions to their first post-season stint in 14 years, as the team was selected to play in the WNIT. Before becoming the programs DOBO, Feder was a Graduate Assistant for the Lions during the 2018-19 season.
Prior to her time at LMU, Feder spent five years playing professional basketball in Israel for the Ramla (2017-18), Ramat Hen (2015-17), Jerusalem (2014-15) and Ramat Hasharon (2013-14). Feder led her respective teams to three Israeli League Finals appearances and claimed the Israeli League Cup Championship with Ramat Hen in 2016-17.
“It is an incredible honor to join Coach Jimenez’s coaching staff. She has an impeccable winning history and has left her mark on every program she has led, said Feder. “We align in our deep values of integrity, authenticity, competitive spirit, and servant leadership. I cannot wait to help execute her vision for the program and I look forward to helping the Gaucho family sustain a culture that serves its student-athletes and community. Go Gauchos!”
Feder spent her collegiate career at UC San Diego playing under head coaches Charity Elliott and Heidi VanDerveer. Feder led the Tritons to four CCAA regular season championships and led the program to its first-ever CCAA Tournament Title in 2012-13. In the 2011-12 season, Feder led the Tritons to the NCAA Division II West Regional Championship.
In her senior season, Feder was named the CCAA MVP. Among other accolades, Feder was a three-time All-CCAA First Team selection, an All-American Honorable Mention, Daktronics West Region First Team, and a member of the Academic All-District Team. Feder ranks in the top 10 all-time in the UCSD women’s basketball record books, first in games played, first in three-point field goals made in a single season, second in total three-point field goals made, second in free throws made, fourth in total points scored, fifth in total field goals made, and 10th in total assists.
Assistant Coach, Dario Frias
Dario Frias comes to UC Santa Barbara after spending the last 10 seasons on staff at Cal State San Marcos and Cal State San Bernardino under Head Coach Renee Jimenez.
Between 2006-12, Frias was the varsity head coach at Jurupa Valley High School in Mira Loma. He went 107-60 in six seasons, including five 19-win seasons. He reached the CIF quarterfinals in 2009-10, reached the CIF Second Round four times, and helped 14 players move forward to the collegiate level. While coaching at Jurupa Valley, Frias coached in the West Coast Premier Basketball Academy, one of the top travel ball teams in the nation from 2008-12.
Frias spent the 2012-13 season as an assistant at NCAA Division III La Verne. The Leopards ranked second nationally in scoring and 3-pointers made per game. After one season he joined Jimenez at Cal State Bernardino.
“I am incredibly thankful to Coach Jimenez for trusting me with this opportunity to join a program with a championship culture and passionate fan base,” said Frias. “My commitment to the program, the student-athletes and the community will be felt in everything I do. I pride myself on building the best relationships and getting the best out of our student-athletes. It’s a great day to be Gaucho!”
At CSUSB, Frias served as the director for camps and clinics, in addition to providing support for individual player and skill development. He coordinated all prospective student-athlete visits, organized team travel, monitored academic progress and developed marketing and recruiting plans to increase the Coyote fan base. Frias helped CSUSB to back-to-back appearances in the CCAA Championship semifinals.
After joining Jimenez’s staff at San Marcos Frias helped the Cougars to three regular season championships, two CCAA Tournament Championships and four NCAA Tournament appearances.
Assistant Coach, Kai Harris
Harris comes to UC Santa Barbara with experience across numerous levels of basketball at Missouri State, San Diego Mesa, Rancho Bernardo High School, MiraCosta College and most recently the University of Saint Katherine.
“It’s not every day you get an opportunity to work alongside a great leader with a clear vision, values and standards. I have watched and admired Renee from afar for years, and know she brings a sense of work ethic, knowledge and culture that are unmatched,” said Harris. She has created a staff of exceptional people, balanced with experience, skill and leadership. My family and I are thrilled to call such a remarkable community our new home. I am excited to work towards accomplishing our goals, serving this community and honoring the traditions of what it means to be a Gaucho!”
During his five-year stint at Saint Katherine Harris led the Firebirds to two conference tournament appearances, became the program’s all-time winningest coach and during the 2021-22 season broke 50 program records including wins in a single season. He has coached nine All-Conference players and during the 2022-23 season coached the conference’s best defense limiting opponents to jut 57.0 points per game.
Prior to his arrival at Saint Katherine Harris turned around a MiraCosta program that was on the brink of elimination. By the end of his stint, he posted the most wins in a single season, ended a 50-year playoff drought, won the program’s first playoff game and was ranked No. 15 in Southern California.
Assistant Coach/Director of Operations, Kelsey Forrester
Kelsey Forrester comes to Santa Barbara after serving as the Director of Basketball Operations/Video Coordinator at UC San Diego during the 2023-24 season. At UC Santa Barbara Forrester will be assume a similar as an Assistant Coach/Director of Operations.
“I deeply thank Coach Jimenez and UC Santa Barbara for this incredible opportunity. I look forward to rejoining Coach (Jimenez) and becoming an active member of this program and the community.”
A native of Davis, Calif., Forrester attended Davis Senior High School. She earned her bachelor’s degree in business marketing from Cal State San Marcos in 2023. In her role, Forrester will be responsible for editing film, scouting, coordinating team travel, practices, and day-to-day program operations.
Forrester comes to the Tritons after a five-year career with the Cal State San Marcos women’s basketball program from 2018 to 2023. While with the Cougars, Forrester was a two-time All-CCAA selection (2022-23 first team, 2021-22 second team), as well as a 2022-23 CCAA All-Tournament Team honoree. In addition to her success on the court, Forrester earned CSC Academic All-District recognition in 2022-23 and was a three-time CCAA All-Academic honoree.
Forrester finished her career with San Marcos ranked first all-time in three-point field goals made (239) and three-point field goal percentage (41.9%), as well as third in steals per game (0.9) and minutes played (2,908).
“Each of them embodies all the qualities of a proven winner and they will push us to be our very best every day on and off the court,” Jimenez said. “Their experiences at a variety of levels as coaches and former student-athletes will add a unique approach to the way we plan to build our program at UC Santa Barbara. Their work ethic and relationships with their student-athletes will take our program to new heights. I am very excited to have them join our Gaucho family!”
https://ucsbgauchos.com/news/2024/6/4/womens-basketball-jimenez-announces-coaching-staff.aspx
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