New Gauchos head coach Renee Jimenez calls it a ‘dream job’

UC SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - Renee Jimenez has already won a title at UCSB's Thunderdome and Gauchos fans hope for more celebrations in the near future.

UCSB introduced Renee Jimenez as the new women's basketball head coach at a formal press conference.

Jimenez said, "This is my dream job since I started being a head coach at 26 this is where I wanted to be."

The 2000 Ventura High School graduate competed in plenty of games in Santa Barbara as a player and said she was on a team that captured the prestigious Tournament of Champions played back then at Thunderdome.

Jimenez has enjoyed tremendous success in her 15 years as head coach of several programs, most recently with Cal State San Marcos.

She led the Cougars to a Final Four appearance this past season in NCAA Division II even knocking off the #1 team in the country at the time Gannon University in the Elite 8.

Jimenez takes over for Bonnie Henrickson who retired after nine seasons at UCSB.

The Gauchos have not made the NCAA Tournament since the 2011-'12 season but they have been close a few times.

"With the transfer portal now we can go out and get just a few things that we might need to get us over the top," said Jimenez. "This group is not far off at all. I am excited to come in and bring a different vision to it."