Biola University Athletics

In 2022-23 Alan Nakamura enters his eighth season as Biola's Head Women's Basketball Coach, looking to build on the team's successes in the PacWest Conference Tournament and a strong recruiting class.
 

Nakamura's Record at Biola Year 15-16 16-17   2017 17-18 18-19     19-20 20-21 21-22 TOTAL Overall 14-17 23-8   Biola 14-12  11-17           19-11 4-9 18-11 103-85 (.557) GSAC/PacWest 7-8 (5th) 13-3 (2nd)    Enters The 11-9 (7th)    9-13 (6th) 14-8 (5th) 3-9 13-7 (5th) 70-57 (.551) Playoffs GSAC - First Round NAIA Nationals - 1st Rd PacWest Conference - -                            PWC - Semifinal Round - PWC - Semifinal Round

The team will look to replace the team’s two leading scorers with an aggressive defense, and a balanced offensive attack led by team captains Aysia Johnson, Madi Chang, and Laila Walker. The team faced more COVID-19 challenges in the 2021-22 season with a 17 day pause in January, but finished strong in February by going 11-6, including a win over nationally ranked No. 5 Azusa Pacific. During two stretches in February the team played six games in eight days, and then five games in eight days. Statistically, the team finished in first, second or third in numerous conference categories, including defensive scoring and FG%, three pointers made, FT%, and steals. In the PacWest Conference Tournament Biola defeated Concordia University in the Quarterfinals, but suffered a season-ending loss to Azusa Pacific in the semi-final. 

Stephanie Lee repeated as an All-Conference performer, and Amiah Simmons won PacWest Conference Freshman of the Year. Simmons led the team in scoring, while Lee finished second in scoring and led in three pointers made. Jordan Rabe and Laila Walker set NCAA DII single season program records. Rabe grabbed 199 rebounds, while Laila Walker averaged 3.46 assists per game. Aysia Johnson led the team in steals, and was second in rebounding and assists.

 The 2020-21 season was cut short because of Covid considerations. Through wearing masks at practice and on the bench, and having practices paused for days because of Covid concerns, Biola faced nationally ranked opponents in 9 of 13 games, and beat ranked teams twice. 

Sophomore Stephanie Lee followed up her PacWest Conference Freshman of the Year campaign with selection to the All-PacWest South team. She led the team in scoring, 3 pointers, defensive rebounds, and assists. Jazz Benn finished her decorated Biola career by finishing 2nd or 3rd in most team statistical categories. Aysia Johnson grew into an impact player at both ends of the floor by averaging double digit points in scoring (10.3), leading the team in steals, 2nd in rebounds and assists.
Biola Women's Basketball truly found success as a team in 2019-20, using rotation depth as a strength and getting big individual performance by several women to earn key victories. Coach Nakamura led the Eagles to two separate three-game winning streaks during conference play, a winning record on the road and ultimately to the team's first PacWest tournament berth in its first year of eligibility. Nakamura and company made a great first impression in the tournament, upsetting No. 4 seed Point Loma in the first round behind a season-high 17 three-pointers and a last second buzzer-beating layup from senior Tatum Brimley (who reached 1,000 career points in her four years under Nakamura during the game). Then Biola pushed No. 1 seed Hawaii Pacific to the brink in the semifinal and had a chance to tie the game on the final possession before being clipped 68-65. 

Freshman guard Stephanie Lee also won PacWest Freshman of the Year in 2019-20 after leading all conference freshmen in scoring and three-pointers and earning PacWest Freshman of the Week honors five times. Jazz Benn was named to the PacWest Third Team Team after averaging 10.4 points per game and 31.9 minutes per contest. 

In 2018-19, the Eagles had a strong start to their second year in the PacWest with three wins in their first four games, including two 25-point wins and an overtime victory at Concordia. A tough losing streak at the beginning of February prevented Biola from qualifying for NCCAA playoffs. But an exciting win at home on senior day helped the Eagles finish in sixth place, which would have been good enough to qualify for the PacWest tournament.   

During the 2017-18 season, Nakamura piloted the Eagles to a winning 11-9 record during their first season in the PacWest and an 8-5 record at home. Biola earned series sweeps against four conference opponents, including sweeps over two teams that made the PacWest tournament in Concordia and Point Loma, and came within a possession of shocking the No.18-ranked Azusa Pacific Cougars at home on Feb. 3. Senior guard DeMoria White earned All-PacWest First Team recognition while freshman forward Jazz Benn impressed with 9.2 points and 5.3 rebounds per game. 

During Nakamura's second year and the Eagles last as an NAIA institution, Biola surprised many teams in the GSAC with a 2nd-place finish and shot up to No. 14 in the Feb. 28 NAIA Coaches' Top-25 Poll. The Eagles went 23-6 during the regular season and set the program record for win percentage at home with a 14-1 mark at Chase Gym.

That improvement earned Nakamura a conference Coach of the Year award from the Golden State Athletic Conference on Feb. 28. Due in part to Nakamura's adjustment in game tempo, Joclyn Kirton, Annie Park and DeMoria White all averaged at least 14 points per game and earned all-conference recognition. On March 24, Kirton, Park and White were also named NAIA All-Americans. The Eagles earned a berth in the NAIA National Tournament for the first time since 2012, exiting after a first-round loss to Central Methodist (Mo.).

The 2015-2016 season had its good moments but turned out to be the building year that led to the next season's success. Biola finished 7-8 in conference during Nakamura's first season and an even 10-10 in Chase Gym. 

Nakamura came to Biola after spending 15 seasons by the beach as the assistant coach of Point Loma’s women’s basketball team. In 2014-15, he helped guide the Sea Lions to a third-place finish in the PacWest Conference and a playoff victory in the NCAA Regional First Round. Point Loma defeated the NCAA Division II No. 1 team, Alaska-Anchorage.

Nakamura is very familiar with the Eagles' PacWest opponents. He was a part of the Point Loma coaching staff when it was a member of the GSAC along with Azusa Pacific, California Baptist, Concordia University Irvine, Fresno Pacific and Biola. During Nakamura's time with the Sea Lions, the team won at least 20 games and advanced to the NAIA National Tournament for seven of its final eight years in the NAIA.

His responsibilities in San Diego included Recruiting Coordinator, developing the perimeter players, scouting, and running the defense. In 2014-15 his Sea Lions defense gave up just 60.7 points-per-game, 36% FG, and 28% 3’s to their conference opponents, ranking them No. 1 in the powerhouse PacWest Conference, as three PWC teams advanced to the national tournament.
 
Prior to his 15 years at Point Loma, Nakamura was a high school teacher and coach. He has experience coaching baseball, football, surfing and girl’s and boy’s basketball. He also has community college and club coaching experience in football, basketball and baseball.
 
He graduated from San Diego State with a B.A. in Psychology and went on to get Single Subject credentials in Physical Education and Psychology, and an M.A. in Education/Physical Education from Azusa Pacific. 

In his spare time, Nakamura is an avid surfer. He’s a two-time Southern California Master’s Champion, won a NSSA national championship as a member of San Diego State’s surfing team and spent some time on the Professional Surfing Association of America Tour.
 
Nakamura and his wife Franci live in Pasadena. They have three children Kealoha, Kalani, and Selah-Joy.