Russ Davis, three-time NAIA Coach of the Year, returns to Vanguard for his 14th season as the head coach of Vanguard’s Women’s Basketball program. Leading the Lions to the university’s first-ever NAIA National Championship in 2008, Davis backed up his successful season by guiding his team to the program’s ninth GSAC Championship in 2008-2009. The Lions advanced to their seventh straight NAIA National Tournament Elite-8, finishing the season with a terrific record of 31-4.

Davis begins the 2009-2010 season with a career record of 349-86 and six GSAC Coach of the Year awards under his belt, including being honored in 2008-2009. The defending GSAC Champions begin the year as the team to beat in the GSAC preseason Coaches’ poll, and the second-ranked team in the NAIA preseason poll.

Davis’ teams at VUSC have averaged more than 26 wins and less than 7 losses per season during his 13 years with the program, while becoming one of the strongest women’s basketball programs within the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics. Having hoisted one NAIA National Championship banner already, Davis and the senior-led Lions will attempt to hang one more in 2010.

In all, Davis’ teams at Vanguard have won nine GSAC titles and made 11 trips to the NAIA National Tournament. The Lions have now made four final four appearances (2003, 2006, 2007 and 2008) at the NAIA Division I Women’s Basketball Championships, finishing third the first three times before winning the National Championship in 2008. Vanguard also holds the GSAC record for the most conference victories in a single season, going undefeated (20-0) in GSAC back-to-back seasons from 2005-07.

Named the RUSSELL ATHLETIC/WBCA (Women’s Basketball Coaches Association) National NAIA Coach of the Year award in 2005 and 2009, and RUSSELL ATHLETIC/WBCA’s Coach of the Year for the West Region in 2006, Davis earned the NAIA’s National Coach of Character in 2007 and added the NAIA Coach of the Year to his accolades in 2008.

Davis came to Vanguard University with a reputation of being one of the top high school coaches in California. "I have really enjoyed coaching at Vanguard University," says Davis. "The Lord brought me here and is blessing me every day."

Coach Davis has well over twenty-five years of coaching experience. He began coaching women in 1991 at Woodbridge High School after being an assistant to the men’s program at Woodbridge from 1982 to 1991. After the 1991 season, Estancia High School hired Davis, and he completely revamped the Estancia program before leaving after the 1995-96 season to be an assistant coach at Vanguard. Currently, Davis also coaches the Nike Cal Swish girls’ club team of Orange County, winners of the 2009 Nike National Championships, during the summer and was chosen to coach at the 2005 USA Basketball Women’s Junior National Team Trials in Colorado.

As a high school coach, he was the CIF, State Division II and Orange County Register Coach of the Year in 1991. In 1992 the Costa Mesa Daily Pilot honored him as Coach of the Year and twice was selected to be the head coach of the Orange County All Star game. In 25 years as a head coach at different levels and both genders, Davis begins the 2008-09 season with an overall coaching record of 598-197.

While establishing an outstanding reputation for the VU Women’s Basketball Team throughout the NAIA ranks, Davis has also become a well-known figure among his coaching peers. Russ is a National Rater for the NAIA, serves as Second Vice President for the NAIA women’s basketball Coaches Association, and is a member of the NAIA Women’s Basketball National Tournament Committee. He is also on the Kodak Women’s Basketball All-America Committee and is a member of the Board of Directors for the WBCA. At Vanguard, Davis is a Champions of Character Instructor and Co-Director of BAM (Beyond Athletics Ministry), a ministry group made up of athletes from various sports on the VU campus.

Davis is single and lives in Costa Mesa.

Brian is back for his second season on the VU Women’s coaching staff, after assisting Davis in 2008-2009.

A student of the game and the son of a coach, Roberts started his coaching career with one of the best women’s programs in the NAIA. His main duties include working mainly with the guards and wings on individual skill development and improvement, recruiting, assisting Davis with the man and zone offenses, team conditioning and scouting.

Brian, nicknamed "Boomer", played four seasons for the VU men’s basketball program. A two-time GSAC and NAIA Scholar-Athlete, Roberts was named Vanguard’s Male Athlete Champion of Character as a senior. A pure shooter who scored 690 career points, he shot 41.9% from three-point range, making 155 treys in his 120-game career. Brian also made 78.9% of his free throws and tossed out 155 assists, while helping the Lions post a pair of 20-win seasons and a trip to the NAIA Division I Men’s Basketball Championships during his career. Giving back to the Vanguard program with his love for the sport of basketball, there is no doubt that Roberts, who was Davis’ only assistant coach last season, will also gain top-notch experience towards his coaching career.

"I am excited to get the opportunity to learn from, and coach along side, one of the top coaches in the nation, as well as get to coach a great group of girls," says Roberts. "I feel blessed to be able to coach in this program."

Brian graduated from Vanguard in the spring of 2008 with a Bachelor’s degree in Communication Studies. He also holds the position of assistant Sports Information Director at Vanguard. Brian is engaged to be married in April, 2010 and lives in Costa Mesa.

John begins his seventh season as an assistant coach to Russ Davis and the Vanguard Lions, after taking a year away from the program in 2008-2009. A selfless worker with a heart for the personal growth of VU players, John is a part-time assistant who contributes any way he can to help make the Lions successful as well as grow as individuals, personally and spiritually. Barney assists on the court in practice and game settings as well as scouting and recruiting details. He has served the program faithfully and makes himself available to fill any need he sees.

Aside from his experience at Vanguard, Barney’s coaching history lies at the high school and club level. He served five years with the Calvary Chapel High School girl’s basketball program, three years as an assistant and two years as the head coach. CCHS earned two (2001 and 2002) Olympic League Championships and was a CIFSS Finalist in 2001 and Semi-Finalist in 2002. In his season away from VU basketball, Barney assisted with JSerra Catholic High School in San Juan Capistrano, California. In addition, Barney has more than 10 years of club basketball coaching experience to his credit.

Barney’s full-time job is as a Distribution Manager for a health care company. He has been married 29 years, and he and his wife Maggi have two sons. Their oldest son Isaiah played on Vanguard’s men’s basketball team.

"My passion in life is working with young people in a way that honors and points them to Christ," says Barney. 

Melissa returns to her alma mater to assist with the program she helped take to new heights as a player. Cook played for Coach Davis from 2004-2008, and was a senior captain and NAIA All-American on the National Championship team in 2008. Last season, Cook was a part of her second straight National Championship, as a graduate assistant coach for Mark Campbell and the Union Lady Bulldogs.

As one of the best players to ever don a Vanguard uniform, Cook had a remarkable career. She averaged nearly 11 points, five rebounds, and 3 assists per game, in 122 contests played for the Lions. Cook also shot 40% from the three-point line and recorded 1.5 steals per game in her collegiate career. She earned NAIA Academic All-American honors twice, to go along with her NAIA All-American Second team selection as a senior.

Cook will work with player development for VU, but her main desire is to promote spiritual growth among the team and coaches. As a women with a passion for Christ, people, and basketball, Cook’s experience as a college athlete will allow her to make a tremendous impact on the lives of the student-athletes.

"I felt God calling me back to Vanguard," Cook says. "I had a great time at VU as a player, and wanted to be there and help make an impact on these girls."

Cook graduated in May, 2008, with a Bachelor’s degree in Liberal Studies. She is single and resides in Placentia, California.

Matt joins the Lions for his first season as a part of the VU coaching staff. Klemin comes to Vanguard from conference foe California Baptist University, where he spent two seasons as an assistant coach. Before his time at CBU, Klemin coached one season for the Women’s program at Azusa Pacific University. Prior to going to APU, Klemin spent the two previous years as an assistant coach for at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. While there Klemin served as the director of operations for the Mustang coaching staff.

Klemin’s primary duties involve recruiting, player development, and scouting, as well as assisting Davis with the man-to-man defense. Having spent three years coaching in the GSAC, Klemin also possesses extensive knowledge of the conference, and will be an asset in helping scout opponents.

A 2004 graduate of Cal Poly SLO, Klemin earned a bachelor’s degree in graphic communications. He also has a master’s degree in education administration from Cal Poly. As an undergraduate student, Klemin began his coaching career, first serving as an assistant varsity coach and head coach for the junior varsity program at San Luis Obispo High. During his senior year at Cal Poly, he joined the Mustang staff. Klemin has eight years of experience in coaching including AAU, middle school, high school and collegiate programs. He has also served as a coach at more than 20 camps.

"I am happy to get a chance to coach in this program," says Klemin. "This is a great opportunity."

In addition to his assistant coaching duties, Klemin works as the Director of Operations for The Works Sports Academy. Klemin is single and resides in Anaheim, California.