Coaching Staff


Gary Plunkett
Head Coach, Women's Basketball

Coach Plunkett begins his fifth season as head coach of the womens basketball team at Chaffey College. In his second, third and fourth seasons, Plunkett led the Panthers to the regional semifinals of the playoffs and reestablished Chaffey College as a power in Southern California Basketball. Plunkett takes great pride in winning with local talent and helping his players find athletic scholarships at the next level. Ten Panthers in the past four years have moved on to play basketball on scholarship at the NCAA or NAIA level.

In addition to his duties as Head Women’s Basketball Coach at Chaffey College, Plunkett is responsible for game management at Football, Volleyball, Soccer, Baseball, and Softball home contests. Plunkett serves as the Women’s Basketball Sport Representative for the Foothill Athletic Conference. He is also active in the California Community College Women’s Basketball Coaches Association, serving on the Executive Board since 2006 as the Foothill Conference Representative.

Prior to Chaffey College, Plunkett spent 11 years as an assistant coach, ten of those at the NCAA University level. Most recently he was the top assistant for the 2004-05 Cal State Dominguez Hills womens basketball team. Plunkett was in charge of team offense, strength and conditioning, and assisted in recruiting. He helped lead the Toros to their 1st NCAA playoffs in eight years.

He began his collegiate coaching career as a graduate assistant for the California State University Dominguez Hills mens basketball team in 1995. After assistant coaching for five years at CSUDH for both mens and womens basketball programs, Plunkett went to California State University Los Angeles in 2000. There he coached the mens program for two years and served as the academic coordinator, helping the Golden Eagles with academic advisement and monitoring the teams tutoring and study hall activities. Plunkett spent another two years at CSULA as the womens top assistant and recruiting coordinator.

Plunkett received a Bachelor of Science in Geology with a minor in Physical Education from California State Dominquez Hills in 1998 and a Masters of Science in Kinesiology and Exercise Science from California State Long Beach in 2003. Plunkett has five years of teaching experience at the university level. While at Cal State L.A. he served as an instructor of Kinesiology activity classes for four years, teaching both beginning and intermediate level courses in Basketball, Jogging, Weight Training and Physical Conditioning. While at Cal State Dominguez Hills, Plunkett served as a part-time lecturer for the Kinesiology department teaching Motor Learning, Lifetime Fitness, and a Senior Seminar in Kinesiology.

Coaching at Cal State L.A. provided Plunkett with more than outstanding coaching experience. He had the opportunity to serve on the advisory committee for the Evening with Legendary Coach John Wooden program and assisted with the Billie Jean King & Friends fundraising dinner and program. Plunkett also assisted in the organization of both the Cal State L.A. and Cal State Dominguez Hills golf tournaments.

Coach Plunkett enjoys playing basketball, working out, traveling, reading, and attending church on Sundays. He and his wife, Shaela, are the proud parents of six month old twins, Jordan and Naomi. The four reside in Rancho Cucamonga.

Joe Murillo
Assistant Coach, Women's Basketball