IRVINE, Calif. - Head coach Tamara Inoue has announced the addition of Cinnamon Lister and Tyler Ellis to the UC Irvine women's basketball staff.
 
"It's always an exciting time when I have the opportunity to add new members to our program," Inoue said. "From my first conversation with Cinnamon, I immediately felt her drive to win and her eagerness for success. She is a proven champion and has already experienced the NCAA Tournament as both a player and coach. I'm looking forward to her jumping right in with the guards and continuing to make us better.
 
"Tyler was a great leader within her team at New Mexico State and knows what it takes to earn a championship," Inoue added. "Tyler experienced a losing season her freshman year to winning three consecutive championships and making three NCAA Tournament appearances. She was the glue on and off the court and will continue to mentor as she is welcomed on our staff."
 
Lister joins the Anteaters as an assistant coach after spending the 2018-19 season in the same capacity at Princeton where she helped the Tigers claim the Ivy League regular season and tournament championships. Prior to her one-year stint at Princeton, Lister played overseas for three different professional teams in Morocco and Cyprus. Lister has also been an administrative director and skills instructor at Nike/US Sports Camps since 2010, and spent over eight years working as a coach at The Works Sports Academy.
 
Lister is a Southern California native and played two years at CSUN after transferring from Boise State. She was part of the 2014 and 2015 Matador teams that won back-to-back Big West Tournaments. A two-time all-conference selection, Lister graduated with a bachelor's degree in communication studies (2015).
 
Ellis will serve as the director of operations for UC Irvine women's basketball. Ellis played four years at New Mexico State (2013-17), helping the Aggies to three consecutive Western Athletic Conference regular season and tournament titles. She was team captain as a senior on the 2016-17 championship squad.
 
During her time as a student-athlete in Las Cruces, N.M., Ellis assisted with women's basketball team camps. She was also an assistant at the AAU level for JBS Basketball Club, working with player development and providing mentorship for college preparation. In addition, she went on to serve as a volunteer assistant for the girls' basketball team at Antelope High School in Northern California. Ellis graduated from New Mexico State with a bachelor's degree in business administration marketing in 2017.