SANTA CLARA, Calif. – Santa Clara women's basketball has added Kerri Nakamoto as an assistant coach.

"I'm extremely excited to be joining the Santa Clara staff," Nakamoto said. "Coach Carr and staff have been building something special at SCU and I am thrilled to have the chance to step in and help contribute to the continued growth of the program. It is an amazing opportunity to join an experienced and knowledgeable staff who have assembled a high character group of talented student-athletes. I can't wait to get started."

"We are extremely lucky to have Kerri join our staff," Santa Clara head coach Bill Carr said. "She brings a wealth of experience as both a head coach and an assistant and has helped build Division I programs into NCAA Tournament teams. She knows the WCC well and will fit right in with our staff as we look to continue to grow our program."

Nakamoto has previously been the head coach at Alaska-Fairbanks for three years where she coached the 2019-20 GNAC Newcomer of the Year and scoring leader. While there, she recruited 11 GNAC All-Academic team members as well.

While there, Nakamoto also served on the UAF Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Strategic Planning Team. Nakamoto was a panelist for the 2021 NCAA Inclusion Forum for Student-Athlete Mental Health.

Prior to her time with the Nanooks, Nakamoto was the Head Women's Basketball Coach at Cal State Monterey Bay from 2013-18. The Otters were ranked in the top-25 of NCAA Division II schools for points allowed. The team had four All-CCAA performers and garnered 14 All-CCAA All Academic award. The team was a finalist for the DII Excellence award for Community Service/Outreach for a program designed by Nakamoto called "Otters Play" helping elementary school students be more physically active.

Nakamoto was appointed to the NCAA Women's Basketball Rules Committee starting in the Spring of 2016 for a four-year term. She was also selected as a committee member for the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) Playing Rules & Officiating Group Committee (2016-2019) and the WBCA NCAA Division II Coaches' All-America Committee (2016-2021) as well as the CCAA representative on the WBCA DII Top 25 Coaches' Poll Committee (2016-2018).

As an assistant, Nakamoto spent eight seasons helping Cal Poly become a perennial Big West Conference contender. She served in a variety of capacities on the Cal Poly staff, including player development, academic advising and recruiting. While at Cal Poly she aided in guiding the team to many record-breaking accomplishments including 21 All-Big West award recipients. In the 2012-2013 season she helped Cal Poly make their first NCAA appearance in program history with a Big West Conference Tournament Championship. The previous two years the Mustangs were able to achieve back-to-back regular season Big West Championships in 2010-11 and 2011-12. Nakamoto has also coached and recruited four consecutive Big West Player of the Year award recipients (09-10, 10-11, 11-12 and 12-13).
 
She earned her Master's in Education Counseling and Guidance from Cal Poly in 2009 after graduating from the University of San Diego with a Bachelor's Degree in Sociology. Nakamoto was an Assistant Coach for two seasons (03-04 and 04-05) at her alma mater where she was also an All-WCC performing student-athlete.

A San Jose native, Nakamoto attended Archbishop Mitty High School for her prep days.

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