Russell Turner has been the head coach of the UC Irvine men’s basketball program since 2010, and during that span he has turned the Anteaters into one of the most successful mid-major programs in the country. Under his leadership, UC Irvine has captured seven Big West regular season titles and twice won the conference tournament.
Russell Turner’s Impact on UC Irvine Basketball
Those championships led to two NCAA Tournament appearances, including the program’s first tournament victory. That came when UC Irvine upset No. 4 seed Kansas State in the first round in San Jose before falling to Oregon in the second round. The 31-win season that year remains the best in school history and helped solidify Turner’s reputation as one of the top coaches in the West.
UC Irvine has finished inside the top four of the Big West standings for 12 consecutive seasons, a level of sustained success rarely seen in mid-major basketball. Turner’s teams have developed a reputation for disciplined defense, player development, and unselfish offense.
Continued Success and 2025-26 Outlook
Turner enters the new season with an overall record of 321-187. Last year, despite missing the NCAA Tournament, UC Irvine set a new program record with 32 total wins and a 17-3 mark in Big West play. The Anteaters reached the conference title game before falling to top-seeded San Diego 75-61.
Their postseason run continued in the NIT, where UC Irvine advanced all the way to the championship game. Along the way, they beat Northern Colorado, Jacksonville State, UAB, and North Texas before losing in overtime to Chattanooga 85-84. It was one of the most memorable postseason runs in school history and showed that the Anteaters can compete on a national stage.
Turner has been named Big West Coach of the Year four times, a reflection of his consistent excellence. Before arriving at UC Irvine, he spent time as an assistant at Wake Forest, Stanford, and with the Golden State Warriors. A former standout player at Hampden-Sydney, Turner remains that program’s all-time leading scorer with more than 2,220 career points.
UC Irvine will open the 2025-26 season at home on November 3 at the Bren Events Center against Bethesda University. The Anteaters’ first four games will be at home before traveling to Utah Valley on November 19. Over Thanksgiving, they will compete in the Cancun Challenge, facing New Mexico State and South Dakota State.
Turner’s ability to maintain success year after year has made UC Irvine the standard in the Big West. With another strong roster returning, the Anteaters are once again expected to contend for the league title and make another push toward the NCAA Tournament.