Former UCSB Women’s Basketball Coach Joins Cleveland Cavaliers

The Cleveland Cavaliers have hired former UCSB women’s basketball coach Lindsay Gottlieb as an assistant on head coach John Beilein’s staff.

In a breakthrough for women in coaching, Gottlieb joins Becky Hammond of the San Antonio Spurs as the only active female assistant coaches in the NBA and is the first women’s college basketball coach to be brought on to an NBA staff.

Gottlieb guided the Gauchos from 2008-2011 and was named 2009 Big West Coach of the Year before beginning an eight-year stint as head coach at UC Berkeley.

“I am very thankful, proud and excited to be joining the Cavaliers as an assistant coach. After meeting with [GM] Koby Altman, Coach Beilein and Coach Bickerstaff, I knew this was an organization I wanted to be a part of and a team I wanted to dedicate myself to,” Gottlieb said in a Cavalier’s press release. “While this move provided a unique and special chance to move directly from Cal Berkeley and women’s college basketball to the NBA, it was really about being part of building and growing something special and adding value to a team and organization that is focused on doing things in a way that I believe strongly in.

“The vision for the Cavs’ future is compelling and I look forward to helping make it a reality. At the same time, on a personal level, I am honored to hopefully impact young girls and women to be empowered to pursue their own visions and to be inspired to turn them into reality as well.”

Gottlieb led the Golden Bears to a 179-89 record during her tenure and reached the final four for the first time in program history in 2013. Her landmark hire opens a pathway for women’s collegiate coaches to the NBA.