Ventura College alumnus Derick Pugh '92 has been named the Pirates' head men's basketball coach for the 2024-25 season. He begins his second stint on the bench with the Pirates as he was an assistant coach on VC's state championship teams of 1995 and 1996, helping Ventura to a combined 73-3 record. Pugh brings 16 years of coaching experience to Ventura College.
Coach Pugh comes to VC after spending three seasons assisting VC Hall of Fame coach Phil Mathews at Riverside City College. He also assisted Mathews at San Bernardino Valley College for three seasons, 2003-2006 during which the Wolverines advanced to the 3C2A State Championship Game in 2005 and to the State Elite Eight in 2006. Pugh was also an assistant coach at Mt. San Antonio College (2002-2004) and at Cal State San Bernardino (2000-01). He directed the Pomona High School boys program for three seasons, 1997-99.
Born and raised in Los Angeles, Pugh relocated with his family to Pomona where he was a 1989 graduate of Pomona High School. He played for two successful seasons at Ventura College under Mathews in 1991-1992, helping VC to a combined 62-10 record and back-to-back Western State Conference titles. He received his A.A. from Ventura College and transferred on scholarship to UC Riverside. Pugh earned his B. S. in sociology from UCR in 1994.
Pugh has been married to his wife Jessica, whom he met while attending VC, for 25 years. They share three children, Jaelyn, Raeven, and Ethan Pugh.
