Darren Savino

Biography

Darren Savino enters his eighth season as UCLA’s associate head coach in 2026-27. He has helped the Bruins’ program compile an overall record of 162-76 over the past seven years (2019-20 through 2025-26), playing a major role in the development of the team’s frontcourt players. Savino has served as a college basketball coach for the past 30 seasons and enters his 31st year as an assistant coach or associate head coach in 2026-27. He arrived in Westwood in April of 2019 after spending the previous nine seasons on the coaching staff at the University of Cincinnati. The 2026-27 season marks his 19th year working alongside head coach Mick Cronin. Savino has worked with Coach Cronin for seven years at UCLA (2019-25), nine seasons at Cincinnati (2011-19) and two years at Murray State (2005-06). Through the past seven seasons at UCLA, Savino has played a substantial role in helping the Bruins return to national prominence. The Bruins have advanced to the NCAA Tournament in five of the past six seasons, with a trip to the 2021 Final Four and back-to-back Sweet 16 appearances in 2022 and 2023. UCLA won the Pac-12 regular-season title in 2023, the Bruins’ first league championship since 2013. In addition, the Bruins finished in second place in the Pac-12 in 2019-20 and 2021-22, in fourth place in the Pac-12 in 2020-21, and in fourth place out of the 18-team Big Ten Conference in 2024-25. Over the past seven seasons, UCLA has compiled a 44-26 record in games that were decided by five po

Career Path