Over two decades at Santa Rosa Junior College, Lacey Campbell has transformed the Bear Cubs women’s basketball team into a powerhouse; winning titles, shaping futures and leaving a mark that goes well beyond wins and losses.
Campbell began coaching at SRJC in 2004 and has since guided the Bear Cubs to four conference titles. Her crowning achievement came in 2011 when she led the team to its first state championship in 23 years.
“The 2011 state championship team wrote their own scouting report and did everything for the championship game,” Campbell said. “I just did part of it because I was in a meeting. They came up with the defensive plan. They knew what they wanted to do and how to attack them.”
Campbell continued to make history in the 2022-23 season and led SRJC to its best regular season ever, posting a 29-3 record and earning a spot in the CCCAA state semifinals. The season ended in a 80-75 overtime loss to Orange Coast College.
“The 2022-23 season was unforgettable,” former Bear Cubs forward Ashleigh Barr said. “Coach saw how close we were and how determined each of us was to win and advance. She was our biggest supporter and we wanted to win with her and for her.”
Campbell played point guard for Sonoma State University and helped the team reach the regional playoffs twice. She graduated from SSU with a bachelor’s degree in kinesiology and an emphasis in pre-physical therapy.
She obtained her master’s degree in sports science and coaching from the National Sports Academy. She played 108 games at SSU, starting 77, and is second in program history with 342 career assists.
“I only played two years in high school because I tore an ACL my sophomore year and again my junior year in the first game of the season,” Campbell said. “So I never really got a chance to play, but I kind of learned to coach then. At Sonoma State, I got an opportunity to play my freshman year. I sat on the bench, but I learned the value of that role. My coach let me be the coach on the floor, and that gave me the confidence to see the game differently.”
After college, Campbell played professionally in Germany but ultimately chose to coach at SRJC. “I went over to Germany and did a kind of a tryout,” Campbell said. “But because of my knee, I realized it wouldn’t work. I came back and had an opportunity to be the head coach here at age 22. I thought that career would last longer than my playing career.”
Since then, Campbell has earned Big 8 Coach of the Year honors six consecutive times from 2008-2013 and again in 2023 after the Bear Cubs’ historic season.
A key to her success is her ability to bring out the best in her players. “Sometimes I have to make a joke with them to get them to smile,” Campbell said. “My point guard from the 2022 team, Cara, was so serious she would overthink things. I want my players to be successful, but sometimes I don’t let them have the freedom to make mistakes.”
Her impact is evident in her players’ growth on and off the court. “She has helped a lot in improving my individual skills and basketball IQ,” said freshman forward Kaia Eubanks. “She helps me recognize when I can make an improvement so that next time I can make that change.”
Campbell is known for her vocal and commanding presence on the baseline, though she draws a clear line between being loud and harsh. “You’re probably not gonna hear me yell at them because I love them, right?” W said. “I’m trying to get players into the best mindset I can help them reach.”
Positive reinforcement is an evident part of the team culture Campbell has created. For example, after each win, she gives out teammate, toughness and assists awards for players who perform exceptionally well in those areas.
“Everybody has strengths and weaknesses,” Campbell said. “Talking to them about, ‘Hey, I need you to go do this, I need you to go do that,’ and then again, recognizing when they do it. Celebrating those things and giving them the confidence.”
Beyond basketball, Campbell ensures her players meet academic expectations. SRJC athletes must maintain a minimum 2.0 GPA, and Campbell plays an active role in her players’ success. This year, 11 players were selected to the Big 8 All-Academic Team, which recognizes student athletes with a 3.0 GPA or higher.
“We have weekly meetings to check in on our personal, academic and athletic goals,” said Eubanks, a member of the All-Academic Team. “Coach also has us sign up for a study hall class, which gives us another opportunity to focus on our academics.”
Building beyond SRJC, Campbell’s coaching success at the school reflects a broader evolution in women’s basketball. With increasing opportunities for female athletes and shifting coaching dynamics, the sport has grown significantly over the past two decades. As women’s basketball gains more visibility at the collegiate and professional levels, Campbell’s career embodies the progress and challenges still facing the game.
“With the development of the WNBA, the 3-on-3 Unrivaled league that started up this year, there was a huge success,” Campbell said. “And with college basketball being seen at a higher level — it’s exciting. If you would ask me 10 years ago, I wouldn’t have said it got to this point. In 2022-23, in the game that we had to go to state, and there was no seating behind our bench, people had to sit on the other side, so it was packed, and you know, it’s just that people are gonna come watch good basketball.”
