Blue & Gold Report | UC Irvine Athletics

It's the start of the 2021-22 campaign and Trent Rush, the voice of the Anteaters, visits with Head Coach Russell Turner, Senior Captain Collin Welp, and Big West Freshman of the Year Dawson Baker at media day. Coming of its ninth-straight winning season, the UC Irvine men’s basketball team will look to continue its prominence atop the Big West as the 2021-22 Anteaters will pursue their sixth Big West regular season title, third Big West Tournament crown and third NCAA Tournament appearance under 12th-year head coach Russell Turner.

Tamara Inoue, in her fifth season at the helm of the Anteaters, joins the podcast for our fourth episode. Coach T, has turned around a program that had a combined 12 wins in the two season prior to her arrival and she was recently named Co-Big West Coach of the Year. In her time at UCI the Anteaters have reached the 20 win mark (only the 3rd time in program history and 1st since 1984-85) and earned the #2 seed in the Big West Tournament (1st time since 1998). Hear about her background, mentors, and vision for the Anteaters as they look to get back to the NCAA Tournament and beyond. 

Russell Turner, the winningest coach in UCI Men's Basketball program history, joins the podcast to discuss his coaching career path, background, philosophy, and his vision for Anteater Basketball. In his 11th season at the helm, Coach Turner has won 5 of the last 7 Big West Regular Season Championships, gone to the post season 6 times, including 2 NCAA Tournament appearances, and the program's first NCAA Tournament win.  

UC Irvine Baseball Head Coach, Ben Orloff joins the podcast. A product of UCI Baseball, he discusses his experience both as a player & coach in the College World Series, his experience as a professional ball player, his relationship with Mike "Skip" Gillespie and vision for the 'Eaters.

UC Irvine Women's Water Polo Head Coach, Dan Klatt joins the podcast to discuss his career and team. The UCI Alumni, Olympian, National Team Assistant Coach, and Father discusses his UC Irvine experience, influences, and National Championship aspirations for his program.

Prior to his retirement in 2018, Head Coach Mike Gillespie sat down to reflect on his legendary baseball coaching career.

Kobe Bryant meant a lot to us at UC Irvine, but to UC Irvine Men's Basketball Associate Head Coach Ryan Badrtalei, Kobe was family. In this interview (recorded February 2020) Coach Badrtalei discusses how he met Kobe through UCI and how their friendship blossomed.