UCLA Women’s Basketball announced it promoted its former video coordinator, Soh Matsuura, to assistant coach on Oct. 4.
Matsuura has been with the Bruins since the 2018-19 season.
“Soh is such a bright mind, he has a great attention to detail, he’s very thorough, and he’s an elite scouter,” said Michael Price Family UCLA Women’s Head Basketball Coach Cori Close. “I think our program is lucky that we’re going to be able to expand his role.”
Matsuura came on as UCLA women’s basketball’s video coordinator in August 2021 and served in that role over the last two seasons. Outside of his scouting duties, he was helping with on-court instruction and off-court recruiting.
As an undergraduate student, he was the head manager of the UCLA women’s basketball team from August 2018 until June 2020. Matsuura also acted as the head coach of UCLA women’s club basketball team during the 2019-2020 school year.
“I would like to thank Coach Cori Close, Pam Walker, and the rest of the staff for this amazing opportunity, and thank my family for their continued support of me,” said Matsuura. “I am extremely blessed, grateful and excited to take on a new role at this phenomenal program and institution. I am looking forward to give it my all to push forward the mission of this program and reach new heights with this team.”
In addition to his work with UCLA women’s hoops, Matsuura has also served as the video coordinator for USA Basketball. He earned gold medals with Team USA at the 2021 FIBA U19 Women’s World Cup, the 2022 FIBA U18 Women’s Americas Championship and the 2023 FIBA U19 Women’s Basketball World Cup.
He was responsible for all video and film needs for coaches, players, and selection committee requests; Matsuura assisted and provided scouting film prior to games, and he cut up game film after each matchup concluded.
“He has been so diligent to elevate every year and use what he’s done to contribute at higher levels,” said Close. “It made it a no-brainer that he had earned the opportunity to become an assistant coach in our program.”
A graduate of UCLA in the Class of 2020, Matsuura finished his studies at the No. 1 public university with a bachelor’s of science in physiological science. While at UCLA, Matsuura also worked for UCLA Recreation inside Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom as an operations and special event supervisor.
Prior to his arrival in Westwood, Matsuura spent his senior year of high school interning with the New York Giants in the equipment room. He graduated from Bergen Tech High School in New Jersey.