UC Santa Barbara Women’s Basketball has announced the hiring of Pat Chung as Assistant Coach and Director of Basketball Operations. Chung joins the Gauchos after six years at Long Beach State, where she played as a guard from 2020 to 2025 and served as a graduate assistant during the 2025-26 season.
During her playing career at Long Beach State, Chung earned Big West All-Freshman Team honors in 2020-21, started all 33 games in her fourth year leading the team in assists while averaging 8.8 points per game, and served as team captain from 2023 to 2025. She also received a Big West Honorable Mention in 2025 and was recognized academically on the CSC Academic All-District team. Academically accomplished, Chung holds a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and pursued a Master’s in Sports Psychology.
Chung hails from Alhambra, California, where she starred at Mark Keppel High School, earning multiple honors including Cal Hi-Sports All-State First Team (Division II), First Team All-League twice, and All-Area First Team selections.
UC Santa Barbara head coach Renee Jimenez praised the hire, saying, “We are so excited to welcome her to our Gaucho family. She is a tremendous teacher of the game, connects naturally with student-athletes, and brings great energy and enthusiasm. As a California native and former Long Beach State player, she will be a relentless recruiter in our state. Most importantly, she is eager to learn and willing to do whatever it takes to help our players and program be successful.”
CSB Take
The addition of Pat Chung provides UC Santa Barbara Women’s Basketball with a coach who combines strong Big West playing experience, leadership qualities, and a solid academic background in sports psychology. Her local California roots and recruiting acumen will be valuable assets as the Gauchos seek to strengthen their roster and competitive standing in the conference. Chung’s blend of teaching ability and basketball operations expertise positions her to significantly contribute to the program’s development and success moving forward.
Source: Original report
