Over the summer, the SHP community welcomed a new head of the basketball program: Coach Jeff Wulbrun. Wulbrun comes to Atherton with over 25 years of coaching experience at both the high school and collegiate levels, including holding positions at Stanford, UC Berkeley, and Virginia Tech. Most recently, he served as head coach at the University of Denver from 2021 to 2025. With the start of the basketball season, what should you know about Coach Wulbrun?
Wulbrun says that he didn’t know he wanted to be a coach until he was almost through college, and this realization led to his first coaching job as an assistant freshman coach at the high school level. His first job at the college level was working for Lou Campinelli at Berkeley, who, “with the exception of [his] parents, … probably had the most influence on [him].” His motivation stems from the relational aspect of coaching, explaining that he likes to think he has had a small hand in helping to build “good players… good men… good fathers and husbands.” Now returning to the Bay Area, Wulbrun says he’s “excited and looking forward” to the season.
When asked why he chose to return to coaching at the high school level, Wulbrun said that he “think[s] you really have more impact [on players] at the high school level than you do at college.” He also cites his time spent at Stanford as a key reason for coming to SHP, saying he had heard great things about the Prep. With the season beginning, he says that he “wants this to be a great experience [for players],” but that “doesn’t mean it’s going to be free of adversity.”
Wulbrun plans on implementing a playstyle and work ethic that “[you] can see… any major college team doing.” He says that their goal is to be the “hardest playing team every time [they] step between the lines.” Further, their core values, which include accountability, selflessness, and integrity, are going to be highly emphasized in Wulbrun’s coaching style. Wulbrun explains that if he holds the team accountable, “[they] have a chance to be good,” but if they hold themselves accountable, “they have a chance to compete for championships.” He also says he wants a team that “enjoys the success of their teammates” and wants their play to reflect that. Still, the most important value for the team will be integrity, which Wulbrun sees as simply “being led by doing the right thing.”
Coach Wulbrun has high expectations for the basketball program, both on the court and off. There is no denying the excitement within the program from Wulbrun’s arrival, and the Prep cannot wait to see what this basketball season has in store.
