Surface has been a men's basketball assistant for the past four seasons, as well as the Oaks assistant athletic trainer for the past six. He inherits a team that went 12-16 last season and lost in the California Pacific Conference Tournament Championship Game. The Oaks - which lost seven games by two points or less during the 2009-10 season - return 11-of-12 players for next season.

Prior to arriving at Menlo, Surface spent time as an athletic trainer with the San Francisco 49ers, Stanford University, and Davis High School. During his time as assistant coach he has been instrumental in the development of Menlo's post players. The Oaks have outrebounded opponents in three of the four seasons during which Surface has been on the sidelines.

Surface graduated from UC Davis in 1998 after helping the Aggies men's basketball team win the NCAA Div. II National Championship. He later coached under UC Davis teammate Brandon Laird at Menlo, who held the position after another Aggies teammate, Kevin Nosek, led the Oaks.