UC Riverside Athletics Director Wesley Mallette has been named one of the “100 Most Impactful People in Men’s College Basketball” by a sports media organization for the second year in a row.

The 2024 list, released recently by Silver Waves Media, includes coaches, directors, event operators, executives, and other professionals seen as making a difference at the highest level.

The group, which also included Mallette in its 2023 list, credits him for leading UCR’s Intercollege Athletics into financial sustainability and its teams to record-setting seasons.

Mallette said it was an honor to be named among so many leaders in college basketball and that he’s proud to lead UCR’s 17-sport program in the Big West Conference. He noted both men’s and women’s basketball teams have established themselves as ferocious competitors in the Big West Conference.

“Building a successful athletics program is not easy but you have to pour into your people,” he said. “You have to invest in their success. And, when you build a strong culture, develop true leaders, ensure you have alignment, focus on the mission, and keep the student-athletes’ best interests first, it all comes together. That's part of the key to our success over the past three years and it is an honor to be recognized for it."