
Valerie Nainima
Valerie Nainima
Assistant Women’s Basketball Coach / Recruiting Coordinator
Providence College
Experience
2023 – President: Assistant Coach/Recruiting Coordinator, Providence College
2021 – 2023: Assistant Coach, University of Michigan
2017 – 2021: Assistant Coach, Fordham University
2015 – 2017: Video Coordinator, Fordham University
2011 – 2014: Professional Player, Various Overseas Team
2008 – 2011: Player, University of South Carolina
2006 – 2008: Player, Long Island University Brooklyn
Education
2011: University of South Carolina, Bachelors, Business Administration
Personal
Hometown: Rakiraki, Fiji
Career Highlights
From 2021 to 2023, helped lead Michigan to a 48-17 (.738) overall and 24-11 (.686) Big Ten Conference record, as well as two NCAA Tournament berths
In 2021-22 (first season), assisted Michigan to the second-most single-season wins (25) in program history and the most Big Ten wins (t-13) in program history
In 2021-22, helped lead Michigan to the first NCAA Tournament Elite 8 appearance in program history
From 2015 to 2021, assisted Fordham to an 118-65 (.645) overall and 63-27 (.700) Atlantic 10 record, four 21+ win seasons, one Atlantic 10 Tournament Championship, and three postseason appearances
In 2018-19, helped Fordham to the most single-season wins (t-25) in program history and conference wins (13) in program history
Fordham’s scoring defense finished nationally ranked 13th in 2019-20 and 9th in 2018-19, as well as 1st in the Atlantic 10 in 2019-20 and 2018-19
As a Division I Assistant Coach, recruited and coached 16 All-Conference Team selections, as well as two Players of the Year, one Rookie of the Year, one Defensive Player of the Year and the 15th overall selection in the 2022 WNBA draft
An All-SEC second-team selection at South Carolina, finished with the eighth most three-pointers made (115), 10th most career three-point attempts (340) and fourth best three-point field goal percentage (.338).
Nainima started her playing career at LIU-Brooklyn and was the first player in Northeast Conference history to earn player of the year and rookie of the year honors in the same season after finishing as the nation’s top-scoring freshman (17.3 ppg)