Generally regarded as one of the most successful coaches in  the California Community College circles, Head Coach Lydia   Strong brought her passionate and energetic style of teaching and coaching to the Santa Monica College Campus in August 2000.  "I really believe that Santa Monica College is a dream job," Strong said. "This is a place that I'm going to choose to call my home, most likely for the rest of my career. To be able to work in an environment and area you enjoy living, to be at a top notch junior college that you're proud of, to be able to work with quality young women and an outstanding coaching staff, I really don't think I could ask for anything more."

Coach Strong begins her 21st year of coaching in the California Community College Women’s Basketball system and her seventh here at Santa Monica College.  She began her career in 1985 as an assistant coach at Ohlone Jr. College in Fremont, California before taking over the program the following season.  At Ohlone she was the most successful women’s basketball coach in the school’s history.  During her 14-year tenure as head coach at Ohlone, Coach Strong led her teams to 6 Coast Conference Championships.  The Renegades won over 250 games, and competed in 11 California Community College State Playoff appearances participated in the California Community College State Playoffs on 11 times in addition to finishing either 2nd or 3rd in the Coast Conference on numerous occasions. 

Strong, 46, took over the Santa Monica College Women’s Basketball program in 2000 and immediately began to lay the groundwork for respectability in the Southern California Community College circles.  The breakout season for Strong’s team at SMC came in 2002 as the team posted its first above .500 season posting a 17- 15 season and qualified for the California Community College Playoffs.  The following year the team finally reaped the benefits of building and planning, ending its season with a 19-9 overall record and a third place finish in the rugged Western States Conference. Despite their outstanding 19 - 9 record the team failed to qualify for the California Junior College State Championships.  

“That was a bitter pill to swallow” states Coach Strong about the omission from the playoffs, It was really tough on the girls as they worked so hard to get to the playoffs.  I was proud of all of them and we all knew that the omission did not negate the positive progress of the program. Each year we’re continually building to make sure we can surpass that record and qualify yearly for the playoffs.”   Other positives achieved during her time at SMC include 13 All Western State Conference honors, 12 pre-season tournament finishes and 2 playoff appearances.  With a solid foundation in place the Santa Monica College Women’s Basketball team looks to the future with excitement and confidence that it can compete yearly for the Western State Conference Title. 

A native of Kansas City Kansas, Coach Strong is a 1983 graduate of Chapman College in Orange California where she earned her Bachelors Degree in Spanish and was a letter winner for the Panthers from 1979-1982.  Coach Strong prepped at Newark High School where she earned all conference honors in both basketball and softball.  She earned her Masters Degree in Athletic Administration from St. Mary’s College in Moraga California.  Strong is a member of the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) and the California Community College Women’s Basketball Coaches Association. (CCCWBCA)