Former Pac-10 Conference Player of the Year Giuliana Mendiola joined the Highlanders staff in 2011 as an assistant women's basketball coach following one year as an assistant coach at Montana State.
Mendiola, a 2004 graduate of the University of Washington, brings an impressive collegiate and professional playing resume to the UCR program.
Mendiola was a 2004 John Wooden National Player of the Year finalist. She ended her career as the only player in Pac-10 history to score over 1,500 points, pull down over 700 rebounds and dish out over 600 assists. Mendiola was also a two-time Associated Press and Kodak Honorable Mention All-America in 2003 and 2004. She was inducted into the Washington Hall of Fame in October of 2012.
As a professional player, Mendiola played five seasons in Greece, Spain and Switzerland and averaged 16.8 points and 7.3 rebounds per game, while shooting 59 percent from the field. She was a five-time Greek All Star and garnered 2007 All Star game MVP honors.
Mendiola played one season with the WNBA’s Sacramento Monarchs and one season with the NWBL’s San Francisco Legacy. She made history in 2005 as a member of the Los Angeles Aftershock, becoming the first woman to play, start and score in the ABA—a professional men’s league.
As a prepster at El Toro High School in Lake Forest, Mendiola became the only player in California history to score over 3,000 points and distribute over 700 assists.
Mendiola is married to Charles Johannsen.
