University of the Pacific will be represented on a national stage when men’s basketball Assistant Coach Garrett Bridges receives a 2026 Silver Waves Media Rising Stars award this week, a prestigious recognition honoring emerging and impactful figures across college basketball.

Bridges will receive the award April 2 in Indianapolis ahead of the NCAA Final Four. He has spent the last two seasons on Head Coach Dave Smart’s staff,playing a key role in the program’s recent turnaround.

“Garrett has been with us since day one and was a huge reason for the incredible turnaround we made this year,” Smart said. “He’s been a great fit with me and our team, and I’m looking forward to working with him for years to come. He has been an unbelievable asset to me and our program, and we are extremely proud of him for receiving this well-deserved recognition.”

The Rising Stars honorees are identified through comprehensive research and evaluation of coaching performance, influence and professional trajectory. Bridges was recognized as an up-and-coming coach who has made an impact on the sport.

“Being acknowledged for the work you dedicate to your craft and career among your peers is both humbling and deeply appreciated,” Bridges said. “I would like to thank Coach Smart for trusting me with the opportunity to be part of his staff, which has been an opportunity for which I am incredibly grateful. 

“I also want to recognize the support of our athletic department. This past year’s success was a collective effort, and it would not have been possible without everyone’s contributions. I look forward to what the future holds at Pacific,” he said.

Bridges helped guide a Pacific program that reached the quarterfinals of the West Coast Conference Tournament for just the second time since rejoining the league in 2013-14. The Tigers doubled both their overall and conference win totals from the previous season and finished in the top half of the league in a tie for fifth place.

Pacific secured its first winning season in six years and earned its highest conference tournament seed since 2019-20. The Tigers finished 18-15 overall and posted an 11-3 record at home inside the Alex G. Spanos Center.

Bridges also played a key role in recruiting All-Conference Honorable Mention TJ Wainwright ’26, a business marketing major. Wainwright averaged 13.0 points per game and shot .388 from three-point range, including .424 in conference play.

“Coach Bridges was a big reason why I came to Pacific. He has always been honest, genuine and upfront with me about everything, good or bad,” Wainright said. “He believed in me before I stepped foot on campus and saw the vision on what I could bring to the program. He’s deserving of this recognition and I’m honored to be a part of his journey of becoming a head coach in the future.”

Bridges is the second assistant from the men’s basketball staff to be recognized. Fellow assistant coach Brandon Cole was distinguished by Silver Waves Media in January.