Cinnamon Lister begins her third year as an assistant coach with the UC Irvine women’s basketball program in 2021-22.
Last year, during a shortened season in the middle of a pandemic, Lister helped guide the Anteaters to a 15-9 overall record and an 11-4 mark in conference play. UCI had its second-straight runner-up finish in the regular-season standings, while also making its first appearance in the Big West Tournament championship game in 24 years.
In 2019-20, Lister also helped UC Irvine to a second-place finish in the Big West, which was their best since 1997-98. She worked closely with the guards in a year where the ‘Eaters established single-season school records in 3-pointers made (224) and attempted (701). They also saw a jump in their efficiency, shooting 32% from beyond the arc. In addition, UCI averaged a league-leading 65.6 points in Big West play. Lister was recognized for her impact on the program as she was named to the WBCA Thirty Under 30.
Lister came to UC Irvine after spending the 2018-19 season as an assistant at Princeton where she helped lead the Tigers to the Ivy League regular season and tournament championships. Prior to entering the collegiate coaching ranks, Lister played overseas for three different professional teams in Morocco and Cyprus. She 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).
