Q&A with Cecilia Russell-Nava

Cecilia Russell-Nava is entering her eighth year as a member of the UC Irvine women's basketball staff and fourth as associate head coach. Russell-Nava has been instrumental in the Anteaters' recent success that was highlighted by the program's first Big West regular-season championship and first victory in a national postseason tournament in 2022-23. She has also been part of three of UCI's five 20-win seasons including a school-record 25 victories last year.

In celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month (Sept. 15-Oct. 15), we sat down with Russell-Nava to talk about her coaching career along with her background and how it has helped shape who she is today.

Can you tell us a little about your background?
My mom’s family is from Mexico - my grandma from Colima and my grandpa from Durango. They came over to the United States during the early part of the 1900s. My mom, who is one of 12 children, was born in El Paso, Texas, and raised in Mesquite, New Mexico. She grew up with a huge family; there are over 35 first cousins and they are just a very hard-working Mexican American family. My grandparents and all my mom's siblings were migrant workers. They would go up and down inland California over the summer and into mid-October. My grandparents also had a restaurant, pool hall and a grocery store during the 1950s. The important part was that they really pushed education. Neither one of my grandparents were educated but they understood the importance of an education. Of the 12 children, six of them became teachers. I come from a line of very strong women. I didn't really know my great grandmother but I have been told that she crossed into the United States alone in the early 1900s. She worked as a laundress, cook and field worker. She saved enough money and brought her two children to the United States. I am very proud to be Mexican American. 

Where did you grow up?
I was born and raised in Santa Cruz, California, and went to high school in San Jose. I have three sisters and a brother but I grew up with my two older sisters who were very active in sports as well. Santa Cruz is a small beach town that was a great place to grow up. My sisters and I played every sport, but I really took to surfing and basketball at a very early age. Pete Newell Jr. was the boys' basketball coach at Santa Cruz High School and around fourth grade he took me under his wing. I lived in the gyms at his camps, weekend clinics and tournaments. Learning from such a great teacher like Pete Newell shaped and formed my knowledge and IQ of the game. Santa Cruz is such a special place and I couldn’t have had a better childhood.

What are some of your best family memories from your childhood?
My mom believes during the summer you’re not allowed to sit inside, and she would always say if you’re inside then you’re cleaning. So, I was very active growing up. In the summers, I would go in the mornings to junior lifeguards at the beach, straight to the basketball gym in the afternoon, and then to the baseball field at night, and sprinkle in some soccer practices and meals in the car. We stayed busy and active outside, and those are the best memories. I also loved going to visit my mom’s family in New Mexico. We would go for two weeks every winter and summer. I loved the traditions of tamale making in the winter, family gatherings in the summer, and playing with all my cousins. Even having to suffer the New Mexico summer heat with my sisters is something I wouldn’t change for the world. 

How has your heritage helped shape who you are today?
I think coming from a very hard-working family that always pushed education has really shaped who I am. My mom grew up as a migrant worker, educated herself, and became a professor/historian. My dad was a self-made engineer, owned his own business and also came from a big family as one of nine kids. Family and education came first to my mom and she instilled that in me growing up. 

My mom raised me that I was 100% Mexican but also 100% of what my dad is too. And that meant to be proud of who you are and your background. My mom had a circle of strong, educated, Chicana women. They were all professors, counselors, healers, and artists. Watching, learning, and being around those women ingrained in me messages of hard work, knowing your history, and fighting for what you want… Si se puede! I saw passion, respect, love and women who were so proud to be Mexican American, which made me proud to be a Chicana. If you look at our team, we have so many backgrounds from all over and I want our players to be proud of who they are as well!

How did you get started playing basketball?
I started playing basketball at the Boys & Girls Club. I saw some people playing outside and wanted to join them, so I begged my parents to let me play. From there a boys’ AAU team picked me up. So I started playing organized basketball with boys around third grade. Fourth grade is when I met Pete Newell and I have not put a basketball down since. When I got to high school, all my sisters went to Santa Cruz High but I wanted to go to a private school at Archbishop Mitty because of the girls' basketball coach Sue Phillips. Sue taught me discipline on the court, how to play the game at a certain level, and to work hard for what you want. Those qualities result in wins and banners! 

Did you always know you wanted to be a coach?
I actually wanted to be a pro surfer! But I also fell in love with basketball at an early age and growing up watching Pat Summitt, Vivian Stringer, and players like Jamila Wideman and Dawn Staley - those were my idols. I really fell in love with college basketball. Like my high school coach and Pat Summit, I wanted to change the lives of players by showing them how strong they can be, win championships, hang banners, and provide an education at the same time. 

What has been your career path?
I played college at New Mexico State and was a graduate assistant there for a year. I coached there for three years under Darin Spence. We did well; we went to the WNIT which was our first postseason appearance in a while. From there, I took a job at San Jose State as an assistant coach for two years. Then I had another stint back at New Mexico State with Mark Trakh, and that’s where I met Coach T. Under Coach Trakh, we turned that program around, making history there by winning two championships and going to back-to-back NCAA Tournaments. Then I followed Coach T to UC Irvine. Rebuilding at New Mexico State was hard, but I believed in Coach T’s vision and knew we could build a championship program under her leadership. I’m now going on my 17th year of D1 coaching and living the dream!

As a Mexican American, were there any challenges you faced in your basketball journey?
I would just say there aren’t too many Mexican Americans in the basketball world, especially women, so I would have loved to have more Mexican American role models within sports. That was actually one of the reasons I chose to go to New Mexico State. I had family there and I loved that I was around a large Hispanic community. The young girls and the fan base in general came out to games and I think appreciated seeing a Hispanic player out there on the court. My mom always told me I needed to be a role model to my cousins and to the community so at New Mexico State I felt like I had a responsibility to be a great example and help encourage Mexican American women in sports. 

Is there any advice you would give to the younger Hispanic generation looking to break into coaching?
I think you learn by doing. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Don't be afraid to speak up. Don’t be afraid to raise your hand and don’t be afraid to question things. I think too many times as women, and especially women of color, we wait until we feel like we’re qualified. We wait to speak up until we’re absolutely sure we know the right answer. Why not just try it? The worst that can happen is you fail and then try again. That’s kind of the message I was always told - go out and follow your passion!

Why is it important to you to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month?
I’m very proud of who I am and I’m very proud of the different cultures here at UC Irvine. Being able to represent my Mexican American culture and understand that if we know our history and come together as one, we can make real change!