Santa Clara University

Jason Ludwig is entering his 11th season as a member of Herb Sendek's coaching staff in 2026-27. He was promoted to Associate Head Coach in July of 2025 after previously serving as an assistant coach for the previous nine years. 

Santa Clara has posted a winning record in nine of Ludwig's previous 10 years on staff, including eight-straight dating back to 2018-19 – the program’s longest winning streak of the modern era and second-longest in school history (1933-34 – 1942-43). During that stretch, SCU has posted 20 or more wins in each of the last five seasons and six times overall since 2019-20.

The last five seasons in particular have been among the greatest stretches in program history with one NCAA Tournament appearance, three trips to the National Invitation Tournament and three NBA Draft first round selections. The Broncos have posted 111 total victories with 58 conference wins since 2021-22 – both are the most in a five-year stretch in program history. 

Santa Clara is in elite company as one of just six programs to produce a top-20 pick in at least three of the last five NBA Drafts dating back to 2022, joining Arizona, Baylor, Duke, Kansas and Kentucky. Ludwig was the primary recruiter for the first of the bunch - 2025 NBA Champion Jalen Williams, who was selected 12th overall by the OKC Thunder in 2022. Williams was joined by Brandin Podziemski and Allen Graves, both of which were selected 19th overall in 2023 and 2026, respectively. In total, SCU has produced four NBA players under Ludwig's tenure, including free agent Adama-Alpha Bal. 

In addition to the NBA selections, Ludwig has had a hand in coaching 18 players that have earned a total of 28 all-conference honors, including 12 First Team All-WCC selections and seven NABC All-Region honorees.

Additonal to his coaching duties, Ludwig has primarily been responsible for recruiting Europe, South America and Canada in addition to the United States.

Ludwig is in his second stint with the Broncos, first joining the program for the 2007-08 and 2008-09 seasons. He held the title of video coordinator in his first season before being promoted to director of operations his second season.

Ludwig returned to Santa Clara for the second time in April 2016, after spending 2015-16 as the director of basketball operations at Mississippi State under head coach Ben Howland. Prior to that, he was in the same role for two years at Arizona State under current Bronco head coach Herb Sendek. While at Arizona State, Ludwig was a part of teams that reached the postseason twice, including the NCAA Tournament in 2013-14 and NIT in 2014-15.

Ludwig and the Broncos are coming off one of the most successful seasons in program history. The 2025-26 Broncos posted 26 wins (second-most in school history) with 15 wins coming in conference play (most in program history) en route to their first trip to the NCAA Tournament since 1996. Extending their 20-win streak to five consecutive years, SCU finished third in the WCC standings to also extend their streak of finishing in the top four of the standings to five-straight years. The Broncos had a top-40 scoring offense nationally (82.9 ppg) and ranked fifth nationally in scoring in conference play at 87.2 ppg. The team posted a 14-1 record inside the Leavey Center, including a 13-game winning streak to begin the year, which is tied for the third-longest home win streak in program history. The Broncos earned a 3-seed in the WCC Championship and knocked off No. 21 Saint Mary's in the semifinal to advance to the championship final for the first time since 2007. SCU then put a stamp on the season by earning a 10-seed for the 2026 NCAA Tournament and putting together an outstanding effort in the opening round against 7-seed Kentucky before falling in overtime. Three Broncos - Allen Graves, Christian Hammond and Elijah Mahi - earned First Team All-WCC honors as well as NABC All-District accolades. Graves in particular had a banner season in which he earned both WCC Freshman and Sixth Man of the Year honors before being selected 19th overall by the Toronto Raptors in the 2026 NBA Draft.  

In 2024-25, the Broncos won 12 conference games (most since 1994-95) and extended their streak of 20-win seasons to a program-record four straight years with a 21-13 overall record. Santa Clara finished inside the top four of the the WCC standings for the fourth-consecutive year and received a bid to play in the NIT as a 2-seed. The Broncos won the first game of the NIT for their first win in the tournament since 1984. Garson helped develop three All-WCC selections, including first team honoree Adama-Alpha Bal, who earned first team honors for the second-straight year. Santa Clara has had at least one First Team honoree in five-straight seasons - their longest such streak since 2004-05 through 2008-09. 

2023-24 saw the Broncos extend their streak of 20-win seasons to three straight with a 20-13 record, which featured a 3-1 mark against Pac-12 opponents and the team's first victory over Gonzaga (ranked 22nd nationally) since 2011. Santa Clara finished inside the top four of the WCC standings for the third-straight year and advanced to the WCC Championship semifinal round. Ludwig had a hand in the development in four all-conference players, including first team honoree Adama-Alpha Bal. 

2022-23 was among the most memorable seasons of the modern era for Santa Clara with the Broncos winning 23 games (fourth-most in program history), finishing third in the WCC standings for the second-straight season with an 11-5 record (most league wins since 1994-94), a seven-game win streak to close the regular season (longest since 1997-98), a second-straight postseason bid to the NIT, and producing the Co-Player of the Year in the WCC in Brandin Podziemski. Podziemski, one of three all-conference players that Ludwig had a hand in developing, including Carlos Stewart and Keshawn Justice, was also the league's Newcomer of the Year, an all-region selection and the No. 19 overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft by the Golden State Warriors. 

In 2021-22, Ludwig helped the Broncos reach the postseason for the first time since 2012-13. The Broncos posted 21 wins for their second 20-win campaign in the last three seasons, the first time that the program has achieved that since 2010-11 through 2012-13, en route to being selected to the NIT for just the fifth-time in program history. The historic year saw Santa Clara pick up their first win over a ranked opponent since 2004 (over No. 22 Saint Mary's) and first win over BYU since 2017 as three players were selected to All-WCC squad. Jalen Williams and Josip Vrankic were first team selections while Justice was a second team pick. Williams in particular had a season to remember, becoming the first Bronco since 2016-17 to earn all-region honors after finishing as the WCC's second-leading scorer at 18.0 ppg. Santa Clara's 10 wins in league play were their most since Herb Sendek's first season in 2016-17. The Broncos finished the year ranked 11th nationally in field goal percentage (48.4) and 16th in 3-point shooting percentage (37.8). 

Ludwig was the lead recruiter for Jalen Williams, who in addition to being a first team all-league player would go on to be selected 12th overall in the 2022 NBA Draft by the Oklahoma City Thunder, becoming Santa Clara's highest draft pick of the modern era and second-highest pick of all time. He was Santa Clara's first draft pick since 1996 when Steve Nash was picked 15th overall. Of course, Williams would soon prove to be among the top players in the NBA, earning a spot as an NBA All Star and being named Third Team All-NBA and Second Team All-Defense en route to winning the 2025 NBA Championship in just his third year in the league. 

In 2019-20, Ludwig helped coach a team that reached the 20-win mark for only the third time in the last 12 years. In addition, the team got off to one of the best starts in school history at 14-2 despite navigating key injuries and not having a senior on the roster.

Ludwig spent 10 years at UCLA in various roles during two different stints, between 2001-07 and 2009-13.

Between 2001-05 Ludwig was a student manager for the Bruins and a part of teams that made that NCAA Tournament twice in 2001-02 (Sweet Sixteen) and 2004-05.

Starting in 2005-06 he was elevated to assistant video coordinator. During those two seasons with the Bruins they went to back to back Final Four appearances including the national title game in 2005-06. Ludwig had the opportunity to work with future NBA players Russell Westbrook, Arron Afflalo, Darren Collison, Jordan Farmar, Ryan Hollins, Dijon Thompson, Cedric Bozeman and Luc Mbah a Moute.

In August of 2009, he returned to UCLA as the director of scouting and player development where he spent the next four years helping the Bruins to two NCAA Tournament appearances and the 2012-13 Pac-12 regular season championship. During this stint he participated in the development of future NBA players Shabazz Muhammad, Kyle Anderson, Norman Powell, Larry Drew II, Travis Wear, Jordan Adams, Malcolm Lee, and Tyler Honeycutt. In addition, he directed the UCLA and Ben Howland basketball camps

During the summer of 2007, Ludwig coached the Adidas AAU powerhouse Double Pump Elite out of Los Angeles. Every player on the roster played Division 1 basketball including future NBA All-Stars Paul George and Klay Thompson.

His passions off the court extend to assisting coaches and underprivileged youth.

Ludwig co-founded the Coaches Social at the Final Four, an event geared towards networking hundreds of coaches across the nation. It has become one of the premier events at the Final Four each year.

Ludwig is president and founder of the Latino Association of Basketball Coaches, which provides support, education and networking opportunities to Latino coaches of all levels worldwide.

In 2005, Ludwig created JL Hoops Camp, which was created to give youth from low socio-economic environments a free basketball camp. The camp is run in his hometown of Montebello (East Los Angeles) and gives kids an opportunity to understand the game from knowledgeable coaches, hear from guest speakers and learn life lessons.

Ludwig received his undergraduate economics degree from UCLA in 2005.

Ludwig played varsity basketball and baseball for Montebello High School. He was named MVP during his junior and senior basketball seasons while leading the team to its first league championship in 30 years.