Danita Rivera returned to Biola for the 2023-24 campaign as a women’s basketball assistant coach.
The Santa Maria, California native is a Biola University alum who played for the women's basketball team from 2017-2021. While at Biola, she excelled in the classroom making the Dean's List in 2020 and 2021. In 2021, Danita graduated from Biola with her Bachelor's of Arts in Psychology.
Additionally, Danita was able to participate in a missions trip at Biola with News Release in 2019. On this missions trip, she taught children ages 5-18 in Germany, Belgium and Sweden about God and basketball.
Currently, Danita also works as an instructional aid-behavioral interventionist at Costa Mesa High/Middle School.
In high school, Danita played for four varsity basketball seasons for Ernest Righetti High School where she graduated in 2017. She led her team in two conference championships: PAC 8 Co-Champions 2016 and PAC 8 Champions 2017. Danita also helped her team become Righetti Varsity Fall League Champions, two-time CIF-SS Division 3 Semifinalists, and advance to the first round of the State finals.
During her high school career, Danita earned several awards. Her senior year she won All-Area Offensive Player of the Year, Varsity Team Offensive Player, Female ERHS Wendy's Heisman Award, Scholar-Athlete, and the United States Marine Corps Distinguished Athlete Award. As a junior, she earned CIF-SS Division 3A First Team, All-Area MVP, PAC 8 Defensive MVP, PAC8 First Team All-League, Varsity Team MVP, Scholar-Athlete, and SUN Athlete of the Week. During Danita's sophomore year, she earned Athlete of the Week, CIF-SS Division 3A Second Team, Varsity Team MVP, PAC8 First Team All-League, and All-Area First Team. Her freshman season, she was awarded Scholar-Athlete, PAC8 Second Team All-League, All-Area Second Team, and MVP Green Division at the Santa Barbara Tournament of Champions.
Danita also enjoys singing and was part of the women's chorus at Biola.
