NEWCASTLE, England — One of the greatest UC Santa Barbara Women's Basketball players of a generation is the newest Gaucho in the Pros, as the Newcastle Eagles announced the signing of Alyssa Marin on Friday. After becoming the 30^th member of Santa Barbara's 1,000-point club this spring, Marin now joins an Eagles team fresh off a third-place finish and playoff semifinal appearance under Super League Basketball Coach of the Year Chloe Gaynor.

"We are super proud of Alyssa and so happy all of her hard work is paying off," UC Santa Barbara Head Coach Renee Jimenez said. "She will go down as one of the all time Gaucho greats. We are excited to cheer her on with Newcastle Eagles and see all that she accomplishes during this next step of her career journey." 

Through five years in the Blue and Gold, Marin tallied 1,234 points for Santa Barbara, 21^st in the program's history, and was twice an All-Big West honoree. As the Gauchos' leader in 2024-25, she averaged a career-best 14.3 points per game and dropped a career-high 31 points in back-to-back games against Nevada and San Jose State. Aggressive and unafraid to attack the rim, Marin was one of the nation's best at getting to and scoring from the free throw line. Her 191 free-throw makes ranked ninth among all college players, while her 85.3 free-throw percentage led The Big West and was among the top 30 conversion rates in the country from the charity stripe. Just as confident from beyond the arc, Marin was a career 34.8% three-point shooter for the Gauchos.
 
Marin's style of play matches the fast-paced approach that Newcastle have adopted under Gaynor, combining a high-scoring offense with an opportunistic defense. During the 2024-25 regular season, Newcastle averaged 83.1 points per game, good for fourth in the 11-team SBL, and they led the league with 13.4 steals per game. Already the second-most-efficient free-throw shooting team in the league, Marin's prowess at the charity stripe promises to make the Eagles a team that opponents definitely do not want to foul. With their high-octane offense and ball-hawking defense, Newcastle earned their best league finish since their inception in 2018, taking third place in the SBL to continue an upward trend that has seen them improve on their previous league position for a third consecutive season. They also reached the playoff semifinals for a second straight year, falling only to eventual champions Sheffield.
 
The Eagles' 2025 season kicks off on Sept. 21 in Newcastle, as they get a shot at revenge on Sheffield. For more information on Marin's new team, fans can visit newcastle-eagles.com or follow them on Instagram @newcastleeagles and Twitter/X @NewcastleEagle. Marin will not only play for the Eagles in the SBL but also for Newcastle University in the British Universities and Colleges Sports (BUCS) League as she attends Newcastle University's business school.