In her first season as the top assistant coach for the Penguins,
Toni West brings extensive basketball knowledge in recruiting, strength and conditioning, academic development and community service, particularly in the San Francisco Bay Area. West’s duties at Dominican include recruiting coordinator, strength and conditioning, academic monitoring and post development.
Prior to joining the Dominican women’s basketball program, West was an assistant coach, academic advisor and strength and conditioning coach at Shepherd University in West Virginia and, before that, the head women’s basketball coach at Cal State University East Bay in Hayward from 2008-10 when Cal State East Bay was transitioning from NAIA to NCAA Division II competition. A 2000 graduate of San Jose State (Communication Studies) who earned her master’s degree in Health, Physical Education and Recreation from St. Mary’s College in 2005, West has experienced coaching at various levels. With a knack for developing post players, West was head coach at Las Positas College in Livermore in 2006 when she led the Hawks to a 20-win season and a berth in the California Junior College playoffs in the school’s first season of women’s basketball. Prior to that, West served as an assistant coach at San Joaquin Delta College in Stockton. She helped Delta to a pair of conference championships, an Elite Eight appearance and to the championship game of the California State tournament in 2006. West also was the top assistant coach at San Francisco State in 2007-08 when she recruited Donisha Tate, who became the third leading rebounder in the nation in NCAA Division II in the 2009-10 season. West, who coached at DeAnza College in Cupertino in 2002-03, is a graduate of the NCAA Women’s Coaches Academy and attended the NCAA Division II Leadership Academy. West, who was on a debate team in college, is a former physical education and fitness instructor who loves the outdoors.
