Behind the Wins: Powering SCU Basketball’s Breakout Seasons
Assistant Athletics Director of Sports Medicine Kevin Alana helps Santa Clara men’s basketball player Elijah Mahi off the court. (Courtesy of Kevin Alana)
After both the men’s and women’s basketball teams secured the No. 3 seed in the West Coast Conference tournament, it’s no secret that Santa Clara University’s basketball programs have been dominating this season. Women’s basketball finished their regular season with a 23-8 record, a significant improvement from their 14-17 record last season. Men’s basketball also improved their season record from last season, finishing 24-7.
These wins are often credited to the players and coaches, though much of the foundation for that success is built away from the spotlight. Behind every game is a collective of staff members who work daily to ensure these athletes are physically prepared, mentally resilient and fully supported.
From sports medicine to sports nutrition to sports psychology, behind-the-scenes staff provide the tools and resources that allow both teams to perform at their highest level.
The main priority of Santa Clara University’s sports medicine team is injury prevention. “A lot of the research shows that strength training is the best way to keep guys healthy because they just get them strong and withstand higher stresses,” said Kevin Alana, a member of the men’s basketball sports medicine team.
During the preseason, players undergo evaluations that are used to create individualized corrective programs tailored to their physical needs. Throughout the season, the staff monitors player loads using performance-tracking technologies, including Catapult and Force Decks. Injury prevention efforts are supported through ongoing daily collaboration between the sports medicine and sports performance team. This constant communication helps coordinate interventions and ensure training adaptations reflect each athlete’s needs.
Besides the preventative programs and data tracking, the staff attributes the teams’ durability to the culture of accountability around injury reporting. “Our job is to keep them on the floor, not take them off it,” said Alana.
Kevin Alana tapes a player’s ankle. (Courtesy of Kevin Alana)
Fueling performance is another critical piece of the teams’ dominant season. The sports nutrition team develops performance fueling schedules, provides clinical nutrition support, and educates players on maintaining consistent energy levels throughout the season.
“We can’t afford to have athletes under-fueled,” said Gill Cabral, director of Santa Clara University’s sports nutrition, noting that even a two percent dehydration during a game can impact shooting accuracy. Maintaining proper nutrition helps prevent fatigue, illness and injury risk while sustaining performance all season long.
Besides three quality meals a day, snacks and supplements are other key factors in ensuring athletes are properly fueled. The go-to snack for both teams appears to be chocolate milk, which is also a fan favorite of the nutrition team.
“That’s ‘the goat’ recovery drink because we’ve got our carbs and our proteins and fluids all in one,” said Cabral. As far as supplements go, two mentioned by the nutritionist were Vitamin D for bone strength and Omega 3 Fats for anti-inflammatory qualities.
A less visible part of the University’s success is the work of the sports psychology staff, who focus on building up players’ confidence, focus and mental consistency. The staff provides the players with individual counseling, team workshops and mental performance training. The staff has found that the basketball teams’ summer prep gives them an extra advantage when it comes to developing and strengthening their mental games.
Tyler Webster, the assistant athletic director for Santa Clara University counseling and sports psychology, noted that during that time “everybody kind of gets to know us and gets exposed to who we are, what we’re like,” which allows them to create specific routines for each player that helps get them into their best mindset.
On game days, the behind-the-scenes work continues. Nutrition staff coordinate pregame meals and fueling plans, sports medicine ensures that players are stretched and physically ready, and athletes run through their personalized mental exercises.
When reflecting on the programs’ success, Webster stated, “It really is a collective experience: each player, each staff member, contributing their expertise.” The results of this collaboration have been evident on the court all season, as both Santa Clara University basketball teams have turned preparation behind the scenes into wins and now are in the position to make a strong postseason run.