Cal State Bakersfield announced another head coach hiring on Tuesday, but this was done simply by removing the interim tag off Ray Alvarado as women’s basketball coach.
Alvarado was hired as the CSUB **** ociate head coach in summer 2025 and was suddenly named interim head coach when the university put former head coach Ari Wideman on administrative leave in March. Alvarado coached the Roadrunners’ last two Big West Conference games of the 2025-26 season. Wideman officially resigned in April and Alvarado was handling the coaching duties, recruiting and summer basketball camp stuff until Tuesday’s announcement was made by CSUB Acting Director of Athletics Sarah Tuohy.
The move seemed natural given Alvarado being a Central Valley native, vast area coaching experience and his program-building skills. Following a national search, Alvarado is now the official head coach.
“Ray brings exactly what we were looking for at the helm of our women's basketball program," Tuohy said in a statement to announce Alvarado’s new status. "His extensive coaching career, including his experience at the junior college level, has given him a deep understanding of how to develop players and win — and his record speaks for itself. What excites me just as much is his connection to the Central Valley. That connection is core to what it means to be a Roadrunner, and Ray is going to recruit this backyard with a passion and credibility that will be transformative for our program.”
Before arriving in Bakersfield, Alvarado was the head coach at Hawaii Pacific University, leading the Sharks’ women’s basketball program after a very successful 13-year run as head coach for Visalia’s College of the Sequoias (COS). At COS, Alvarado guided the Giants to a CCCAA State Championship Final Four appearance in 2022 and multiple Elite Eight berths while earning five Central Valley Conference Coach of the Year honors.
Alvarado was hired as the CSUB **** ociate head coach in summer 2025 and was suddenly named interim head coach when the university put former head coach Ari Wideman on administrative leave in March. Alvarado coached the Roadrunners’ last two Big West Conference games of the 2025-26 season. Wideman officially resigned in April and Alvarado was handling the coaching duties, recruiting and summer basketball camp stuff until Tuesday’s announcement was made by CSUB Acting Director of Athletics Sarah Tuohy.
The move seemed natural given Alvarado being a Central Valley native, vast area coaching experience and his program-building skills. Following a national search, Alvarado is now the official head coach.
“Ray brings exactly what we were looking for at the helm of our women's basketball program," Tuohy said in a statement to announce Alvarado’s new status. "His extensive coaching career, including his experience at the junior college level, has given him a deep understanding of how to develop players and win — and his record speaks for itself. What excites me just as much is his connection to the Central Valley. That connection is core to what it means to be a Roadrunner, and Ray is going to recruit this backyard with a passion and credibility that will be transformative for our program.”
Before arriving in Bakersfield, Alvarado was the head coach at Hawaii Pacific University, leading the Sharks’ women’s basketball program after a very successful 13-year run as head coach for Visalia’s College of the Sequoias (COS). At COS, Alvarado guided the Giants to a CCCAA State Championship Final Four appearance in 2022 and multiple Elite Eight berths while earning five Central Valley Conference Coach of the Year honors.
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