Merced College has named Salinda Padilla as its new women’s basketball head coach, bringing an experienced coach and educator with deep Central Valley ties to lead the Blue Devils.
“We’re pleased to have Salinda Padilla as Merced College’s new women’s basketball head coach,” said Bob Casey, Associate Dean and Athletics Director. “She has built an impressive reputation in the local area. She is experienced, she knows the game, and she has the ability to engage with student-athletes in positive ways both on and off the court. We anticipate that she will develop a successful Blue Devil program.”
Padilla comes to Merced College after a successful coaching career at Turlock High School, where she led the Bulldogs during two separate stints from 2002-2013 and 2018-2022. Her teams won four undefeated league championships, and several of her players went on to compete at four-year colleges.
A Southern California native, Padilla graduated from Riverside Poly High School before playing two seasons at Riverside Community College. She later continued her basketball career at CSU Stanislaus, where she was part of a Warriors team that finished as the NCAA Division III national runner-up in 1988-89 with a 27-2 record.
Padilla began her coaching career in Southern California, serving as co-head coach and later head coach at California Baptist University in Riverside. She also taught and coached at Notre Dame High School in Riverside and at her alma mater, Riverside Poly High School, before relocating to the Central Valley.
“I believe my mentality is designed for coaching at the college level,” Padilla said. “Circumstances sent me in other directions for quite some time, so I am truly thrilled by this opportunity. I look forward to recruiting and developing the type of talent I value: players who love the game, have a high basketball IQ, and are willing to work hard to achieve team goals.”
In addition to her coaching background, Padilla has spent much of her career as an educator. At Turlock High, she taught a variety of courses and helped launch an AVID program to support students preparing for college success.