Staff Directory

Branden Higa

Title:
Head Women's Volleyball Coach
Email:

Branden Higa enters his second season as head coach of UC Riverside Women's Volleyball in 2026.

Higa comes to UC Riverside from California Baptist, where he built a winning tradition and compiled a 209-144 record (.592) in 13 seasons. Higa, who guided the Lancers through their transition to Division I, also spent two years as an assistant coach at Mississippi State, one at Loyola Marymount, and one at Lipscomb.

Higa led CBU to earn 14 All-Western Athletic Conference (WAC) awards, including the 2024 Libero of the Year and the 2023 Freshman of the Year. The Lancers advanced to the WAC tournament every year they were eligible, and earned a NIVC berth in 2021. In the Division II era, Higa's Lancers enjoyed a No. 1 national ranking and the program's longest winning streak. Higa was named 2017 West Region and PacWest Coach of the Year after guiding CBU to a 20-0 conference mark and 29-1 overall record.

Through that time, CBU garnered nine AVCA All-Americans, 15 All-Region honorees, and 25 All-Conference selections, including the Region Player of the Year, Conference Players of the Year, Setter of the Year twice, Newcomer of the Year three times, Freshman of the Year twice, and AVCA National Freshman of the Year. Academically, the Lancers earned four PacWest Scholar-Athlete of the Year awards and eight AVCA Team Academic Awards.

Higa also served as an assistant coach under Dani Busboom-Kelly at the 2017 European Global Challenge in Croatia, winning the U23 Division while coaching players from Kentucky, Stanford, Louisville, Wisconsin, and UCLA.

While at Mississippi State, he helped the Bulldogs to an improved record each year and finished third in the SEC West this past season. Higa coached the blockers and hitters for the Bulldogs, including All-SEC honorees Caitlin Rance and Ashley Newsome, as well as heading up opponent scouting and assisting with recruiting for the program. At LMU, the Lions posted a 35-25 record, placing one player on the AVCA All-Region team and five players on the All-West Coast Conference team and two more on the WCC All-Freshman squad.

In 2008, Higa served as an assistant coach with USA Beach Volleyball in Los Angeles, the organization that selects and trains athletes for the Youth Junior National Teams.

Originally from Lancaster, California, Higa joined the MSU staff in 2009 after serving in 2008 as head volleyball coach at West Los Angeles College.

Higa played collegiately for three seasons under International Volleyball Hall of Famer Marv Dunphy, at Pepperdine, earning a double major in international studies and public relations in 1998. Higa helped the Waves to back-to-back third-place MPSF finishes in 1996 and 1997, concluding the 1997 season with a No. 6 national ranking.

Prior to his time in Malibu, Higa won the 1994 California Junior College Most Outstanding Player award at Pierce College.

Higa and his wife Tori have a son, Kai, and a daughter, Maile.