Point Loma Hires Carlotta Kloppenburg-Pruitt as Women's Coach
The former Point Loma player and Southern Oregon head coach takes over the women's basketball program from Charity Elliott.
Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in People
Point Loma Nazarene hired Carlotta Kloppenburg-Pruitt as women's basketball head coach on June 29, succeeding Charity Elliott, who now serves as an assistant coach at TCU. Kloppenburg-Pruitt played for the Sea Lions in 2012-13 and 2013-14 before leading Southern Oregon.
Why it matters
The hire returns a former player to the program and brings in a coach with a strong record at the NAIA level, in a season that opens with several roster changes. Elliott leaves after a five-season run with a 95-56 record.
Kloppenburg-Pruitt went 134-31 over five seasons at Southern Oregon, with the program reaching the NAIA National Tournament every year, compared with Elliott's 95-56 mark over five seasons at Point Loma. Senior guard Izzy Navarro, who averaged 11.7 points per game last season, has transferred to San Diego State.
The players
Point Loma Nazarene University
A private university in San Diego whose athletic teams compete as the Sea Lions in the Pacific West Conference.
Carlotta Kloppenburg-Pruitt
A former Point Loma player who led Southern Oregon to five straight NAIA National Tournament appearances before returning to take over the Sea Lions women's program.
Charity Elliott
The former Point Loma women's basketball coach who went 95-56 over five seasons and now serves as an assistant coach at TCU.
The details
Kloppenburg-Pruitt was hired to succeed Charity Elliott and reunited with former Southern Oregon assistants Richard Vasey and Kami Walk at PLNU. She averaged 10.0 points per game as a Point Loma freshman and earned Academic All-PacWest honors both seasons she played for the Sea Lions.
Timeline
2012-13 season: Kloppenburg-Pruitt's first season playing at Point Loma.
2013-14 season: Kloppenburg-Pruitt's second season playing at Point Loma.
2021: Kloppenburg-Pruitt's first head-coaching job at Southern Oregon.
June 29, 2026: Kloppenburg-Pruitt hired as PLNU women's basketball coach.
Monday, 2026-27 season: PLNU opens the season at San Francisco State.
Season Trajectory
The hire follows a pattern in NAIA-to-program coaching moves in which schools return former players with proven head-coaching records. It positions Point Loma's women's program for the 2026-27 season opener at San Francisco State.
Fans of the Sea Lions women's program will see a new head coach on the bench when the season opens Monday at San Francisco State. The change in leadership may affect which players return and how the team plays under a new system.
The takeaway
Program transitions often hinge on whether a new coach can keep returning players engaged while adding their own system. Watching how the Sea Lions perform early in the season will show whether that balance is working.
What happens next
PLNU opens the 2026-27 season Monday at San Francisco State.
Further reading
Explore more San Diego people news to see other leadership moves across the region.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Times of San Diego.
