376 fans were in attendance for Santa Clara women’s basketball’s game against Gonzaga University at the Leavey Center on Jan. 4, 2026. **(Nina Glick/The Santa Clara)**

Loree Payne was named head coach of the Santa Clara women’s basketball program in March 2025. Payne previously coached at Northern Arizona University, which she transformed into a dominant force, shattering program records and solidifying herself as the winningest coach in school history with 136 victories. During her tenure, she led NAU to its first-ever postseason victory and recorded at least 10 conference wins in each of the last six seasons.

When asked what most excited her about the opportunity to lead Santa Clara, Payne pointed to “a lot of pretty amazing things that stood out—location, the weather, the institution and the core values of the institution and everything that it stands for. Just the support and resources that are being poured into athletics and specifically women’s basketball.”

This season’s roster looks dramatically different from last year’s. With only two returning Broncos and 13 new players, including seven transfers and six freshmen, the program emphasized building team chemistry on and off the court.

“We did a lot of team bonding in the summer and you know, really just emphasized that as something that was going to be critical to our success and just them getting to know each other and building those relationships early on,” Payne said.

The Broncos have responded impressively. They are currently 7-2 in WCC play and thriving under a new staff and players. “Our program is very offensive-centric where we’re putting up a lot of points. I think we’re leading the league in scoring at 82 points a game. We play at a very high, fast system, and one of the pieces to recruiting our roster for this year was getting players that fit into that system,” said Payne.

Santa Clara women’s basketball head coach at her introductory press conference with Santa Clara University Athletic Director Heather Owen. **(Nina Glick/The Santa Clara)**

Payne knew the system would translate well, as it mirrors a very similar style of basketball she led successfully at NAU. She effectively adjusted it to fit the caliber of the Broncos and praised her coaching staff for helping execute this transition.

Because Payne is new to the Bay Area, one of her early challenges was simply learning the landscape. “University protocols, the athletic department protocols, like where and when to do things, we’re still figuring out the great restaurants for official visits to take recruits to.”

She’s enjoyed getting to know the area, though the unfamiliarity has brought its own challenges. Many of her staff members came with her from NAU, but the WCC is a new conference for all of them. They’ve recognized the obstacles of traveling north to places like Washington State and south to Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles.

Still, Payne believes the biggest reason for this season’s success is team culture. The staff focused on recruiting not only talented players but high-character individuals who embrace and encourage teamwork. “I think we got the right people in place and I think the biggest success is just really emphasizing that and our players buying into, really buying into that team culture and continuing to build that in a positive direction,” she said.

Maia Jones scores a lay-up during Santa Clara women’s basketball’s game against Gonzaga at the Leavey Center on Jan. 4, 2026. **(Nina Glick/The Santa Clara)**

Despite the team’s strong performance and the program’s upward trajectory, student attendance at women’s basketball games continues to fall behind that of the men’s team. This season, conference home games for women’s basketball have all drawn fewer than 500 people, while the men’s games consistently bring in crowds of more than double that.

This gap is especially prominent given the national rise in popularity of women’s sports. The Golden State Valkyries, the newest WNBA expansion team, shattered attendance records, selling out every home game this season and making the playoffs in their inaugural year.

“The more coverage and exposure we can get about having a buzz. Come and watch this,” Payne said. “We’re a fun, exciting team to play. We’re winning. It’s really word of mouth. There’s many, many reasons why people wouldn’t come, but we’re trying to encourage them to give it a shot and come to a game and check it out,” Payne said.

The contrast is notable: students pack the stands for men’s games, even breaking attendance records, yet won’t bother to show up for the women’s team. The program has struggled to win in recent years, and that history has definitely played a role in the low turnout. However, this season, the women’s team is winning, building momentum and generating buzz that should be drawing fans in.

“Get involved in the clubs, come out to the games, really try to enhance that social aspect because it's all about human connection and networking in so many ways,” Payne said. “We are in a place that provides all of those opportunities to take advantage of it.”

Next Up: The Broncos host Washington State on Thursday, Jan. 29, at 6 p.m. at Leavey Center.