UC Santa Barbara's basketball program dates to 1934, and the Gauchos have been a Big West Conference power. UCSB has made multiple NCAA Tournament appearances and produced several NBA players.
The Gauchos name was adopted in 1934, inspired by the South American cowboys known for their horsemanship — fitting for the school's coastal California ranching region.
The Gauchos' 78-70 upset of eventual national champion UNLV at the Thunderdome on February 26, 1990, one of the most iconic upsets of that era.
UCSB's Thunderdome (now UCSB Events Center) earned its nickname from the raucous student section, and the campus sits directly on the Pacific Ocean in Isla Vista, one of the most beautiful college settings in America.
The UC Santa Barbara Gauchos compete in the Big West and hold an all-time record of 982–825 (.543 winning percentage) across 63 recorded seasons dating back to 1963-64.
| Season | Record | Conference | Coach | AP peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 18-14 | 11-9 (Big West) | Joe Pasternack | |
| 2024-25 | 21-13 | 11-9 (Big West) | Joe Pasternack | |
| 2023-24 | 16-15 | 9-11 (Big West) | Joe Pasternack | |
| 2022-23 | 27-8 | 15-5 (Big West) | Joe Pasternack | |
| 2021-22 | 17-11 | 9-6 (Big West) | Joe Pasternack | |
| 2020-21 | 22-5 | 15-3 (Big West) | Joe Pasternack | |
| 2019-20 | 21-10 | 10-6 (Big West) | Joe Pasternack | |
| 2018-19 | 22-10 | 10-6 (Big West) | Joe Pasternack | |
| 2017-18 | 23-9 | 11-5 (Big West) | Joe Pasternack | |
| 2016-17 | 6-22 | 4-12 (Big West) | Bob Williams | |
| 2015-16 | 19-14 | 11-5 (Big West) | Bob Williams | |
| 2014-15 | 19-14 | 11-5 (Big West) | Bob Williams | |
| 2013-14 | 21-9 | 12-4 (Big West) | Bob Williams | |
| 2012-13 | 11-20 | 7-11 (Big West) | Bob Williams | |
| 2011-12 | 20-11 | 12-4 (Big West) | Bob Williams | |
| 2010-11 | 18-14 | 8-8 (Big West) | Bob Williams | |
| 2009-10 | 20-10 | 12-4 (Big West) | Bob Williams | |
| 2008-09 | 16-15 | 8-8 (Big West) | Bob Williams | |
| 2007-08 | 23-9 | 12-4 (Big West) | Bob Williams | |
| 2006-07 | 18-11 | 9-5 (Big West) | Bob Williams | |
| 2005-06 | 15-14 | 6-8 (Big West) | Bob Williams | |
| 2004-05 | 11-18 | 7-11 (Big West) | Bob Williams | |
| 2003-04 | 16-12 | 10-8 (Big West) | Bob Williams | |
| 2002-03 | 18-14 | 14-4 (Big West) | Bob Williams | |
| 2001-02 | 20-11 | 11-7 (Big West) | Bob Williams | |
| 2000-01 | 13-15 | 9-7 (Big West) | Bob Williams | |
| 1999-00 | 14-14 | 10-6 (Big West) | Bob Williams | |
| 1998-99 | 15-13 | 12-4 (Big West) | Bob Williams | |
| 1997-98 | 7-19 | 4-12 (Big West) | Jerry Pimm | |
| 1996-97 | 12-15 | 7-9 (Big West) | Jerry Pimm | |
| 1995-96 | 11-15 | 8-10 (Big West) | Jerry Pimm | |
| 1994-95 | 13-14 | 8-10 (Big West) | Jerry Pimm | |
| 1993-94 | 13-17 | 9-9 (Big West) | Jerry Pimm | |
| 1992-93 | 18-11 | 10-8 (Big West) | Jerry Pimm | |
| 1991-92 | 20-9 | 13-5 (Big West) | Jerry Pimm | |
| 1990-91 | 14-15 | 8-10 (Big West) | Jerry Pimm | |
| 1989-90 | 21-9 | 13-5 (Big West) | Jerry Pimm | |
| 1988-89 | 21-9 | 11-7 (Big West) | Jerry Pimm | |
| 1987-88 | 22-8 | 13-5 (PCAA) | Jerry Pimm | |
| 1986-87 | 16-13 | 10-8 (PCAA) | Jerry Pimm | |
| 1985-86 | 12-15 | 7-11 (PCAA) | Jerry Pimm | |
| 1984-85 | 12-16 | 8-10 (PCAA) | Jerry Pimm | |
| 1983-84 | 10-17 | 5-13 (PCAA) | Jerry Pimm | |
| 1982-83 | 7-20 | 1-15 (PCAA) | Ed DeLacy | |
| 1981-82 | 10-16 | 5-9 (PCAA) | Ed DeLacy | |
| 1980-81 | 11-16 | 5-9 (PCAA) | Ed DeLacy | |
| 1979-80 | 11-16 | 5-9 (PCAA) | Ed DeLacy | |
| 1978-79 | 12-15 | 6-8 (PCAA) | Ed DeLacy | |
| 1977-78 | 8-19 | 3-11 (PCAA) | Ralph Barkey | |
| 1976-77 | 8-18 | 3-9 (PCAA) | Ralph Barkey | |
| 1975-76 | 17-9 | Ind | Ralph Barkey | |
| 1974-75 | 18-8 | Ind | Ralph Barkey | |
| 1973-74 | 16-10 | 7-5 (PCAA) | Ralph Barkey | |
| 1972-73 | 17-9 | 8-4 (PCAA) | Ralph Barkey | |
| 1971-72 | 17-9 | 5-7 (PCAA) | Ralph Barkey | |
| 1970-71 | 20-6 | 8-2 (PCAA) | Ralph Barkey | |
| 1969-70 | 12-14 | 6-4 (PCAA) | Ralph Barkey | |
| 1968-69 | 17-9 | 8-6 (WCAC) | Ralph Barkey | |
| 1967-68 | 9-17 | 3-11 (WCAC) | Ralph Barkey | |
| 1966-67 | 10-16 | 6-8 (WCAC) | Ralph Barkey | |
| 1965-66 | 10-16 | 5-9 (WCAC) | Arthur Gallon | |
| 1964-65 | 12-14 | 7-7 (WCAC) | Arthur Gallon | |
| 1963-64 | 18-11 | WCAC | Arthur Gallon |
Cal Poly Mustangs · Cal State Bakersfield Roadrunners · Cal State Fullerton Titans · Cal State Northridge Matadors · Hawai'i Rainbow Warriors · Long Beach State Beach · UC Davis Aggies · UC Irvine Anteaters · UC Riverside Highlanders · UC San Diego Tritons
All Division I programs · Historical rankings · Championship journeys · Hoopsipedia home
| Rank | Team | Conference | All-Time Wins |
|---|
Top 100 by all-time D1 wins. Verified against the NCAA record book — and tiered so you can argue properly.
| # | COACH | RECORD | WIN % | SCHOOL(S) | YEARS | BEST SEASON / LEGACY |
|---|