Kelly Sopak Named Head Coach of Nevada Women’s Basketball
RENO, Nev. – University of Nevada alumnus Kelly Sopak has been named the latest head coach of the Nevada Women’s Basketball team, Director of Athletics Stephanie Rempe announced on March 24, 2026.1 Sopak brings a wealth of experience from his successful career in California high school and club basketball.
A Proven Track Record of Success
Sopak is the founder of Cal Stars Basketball Club, one of the nation’s top amateur and grassroots girls basketball programs.1 He too established himself as a renowned multiple-time championship head coach in the California high school ranks.1
Most recently, Sopak served as the head coach at Carondelet High School in Concord, California, since 2020, leading the Cougars to the 2025 CIF Division I state title and earning Cal-Hi Sports 2024-25 State Coach of the Year honors.1 Over six seasons at Carondelet, his teams achieved a record of 143-31, securing three North Coast Section (NCS) titles and three NorCal Championship Game appearances, including one title.1
Prior to Carondelet, Sopak coached at Miramonte High School from 2008-20, guiding the Matadors to a CIF Open Division NorCal title, five NCS championships and seven league titles with a record of 304-46.1
In January 2025, Sopak reached a milestone, winning his 500th career game, and currently boasts a career record of 541-97.1
Developing Top Talent
Sopak has a proven ability to develop players who excel at the collegiate and professional levels. Nine of his former players have been drafted into the WNBA.1 He has coached 25 USA Basketball alumni, 18 McDonald’s All-Americans, and 17 Gatorade Players of the Year.1
Notably, current New York Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu played both club and prep basketball under Sopak before becoming the top pick in the 2020 WNBA Draft and winning an Olympic Gold Medal with Team USA in 2024.1
Return to Alma Mater
“I am truly honored and grateful to be selected as the next head coach of Nevada Women’s Basketball. As an alum, this place has shaped me in so many ways,” said Sopak. “This is a community that cares, that shows up, and that takes pride in its program, and I feel that. I am excited to pour everything I have into this role. We are going to build a program that reflects the toughness, the work ethic, and the spirit of Nevada.”1
University President Brian Sandoval ’86 expressed his enthusiasm, stating, “Coach Kelly Sopak has established himself as one of the winningest women’s basketball coaches and developers of basketball talent on the West Coast…As a graduate of our University, he understands what Wolf Pack Athletics means to our community, and is the ideal person to lead this new era of Wolf Pack women’s basketball.”1
Sopak graduated from the University of Nevada in 1995 with a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice.1 His wife, Beverly, is also a University of Nevada graduate, and their daughters, Lauren and Leah, are pursuing careers in the sports industry.1