Kevin Nosek, who brings two decades of experience as either a UC Davis assistant coach or student-athlete, enters his 23rd season as a member of UC Davis men's basketball's staff. Under his tutelage, the Aggies earned three Big West championships in a four-year timespan and advanced to postseason play on three occasions.
The Davis native also helped student-athletes, Coach Les and the program navigate their way through a unique situation during the 2020-21 season when basketball-related activities were paused for seven weeks — the second-longest hiatus experienced by any Division I team in the country — to remain compliant with Yolo County Health orders and officials' response to COVID-19.
While other teams were practicing, working out and playing games, Nosek helped student-athletes focus their time and efforts on academic coursework and remaining in basketball shape to prepare for an eventual return to action, which took place on January 22, 2021, when UC Davis traveled to UC San Diego for its Big West opener.
Since returning to campus in the summer of 2020 for off-season workouts, throughout the entire 2020-21 academic year, the program recorded zero positive tests for COVID-19 — an outstanding accomplishment that was achieved due to Nosek's leadership, combined with an uncommon level of self-discipline exhibited by student-athletes, coaches and staff.
With Nosek on staff, the 2016-17 team not only earned its first berth in the NCAA Tournament, thanks to a come-from-behind victory in the championship game of the Big West Tournament (collecting the program's first tourney title in the process), but captured its first Division I postseason victory at the NCAA First Four. With their win over North Carolina Central, the Aggies advanced to the Midwest Regional First Round where they faced Kansas.
Nosek began his Aggie coaching career in 1999-2000 after competing for UC Davis all four seasons on campus as a student-athlete. After serving a three-year stint as head coach at Menlo College, Nosek returned to the Aggies in 2006-07. He assists in all aspects of the program.
Nosek, a true veteran of the men's basketball staff whose connection to the program dates back to his youth days, first served as a ball boy for Bob Hamilton's teams in the late 1980s. Since his return in 2006, he has been instrumental in helping the program complete its transition to Division I, a process that includes the program's first official D-I and Big West Conference season in 2007-08.
After starring at nearby Davis Senior High, Nosek played for UC Davis from 1996-99, highlighting his career with a NCAA Division II national championship in 1998. He enjoyed his best collegiate game during his senior year, when he hit 4 of 5 from three-point range en route to a career-high 12 points against Holy Names. Perhaps as a premonition of things to come, his teammates dubbed him "Coach Nosek" for his unrelenting diligence both on and off the court.
Nosek remained with the Aggie program as an assistant to Brian Fogel from 1999-2003. In his four seasons, the Aggies compiled a 67-23 record and qualified for the NCAA D-II West Regional (1999-2000).
Following his first tenure at UC Davis, Nosek earned his first collegiate head-coaching role when he took the helm of the men's basketball program at Menlo College. In three seasons with the Oaks, he turned around a program that finished 4-22 his first season, to one that posted a 17-11 mark and its best record in seven years. The Oaks advanced to the Cal Pac Conference Tournament semifinal game during the 2004-05 season and reached the title game the following year.
Nosek's Menlo tenure included a roster that led all D-II teams in rebound defense, also ranking among the nation's leaders in rebound margin and field goal percentage defense.
After he graduated from UC Davis in June of 1999 — earning a bachelor’s degree in organizational studies — Nosek received his masters in sport coaching from the United States Sports Academy shortly thereafter.
Nosek and his wife, Nicole reside in Davis. They have two daughters, Maya and Grace, and a son, Derek.
