Toni West Named Women's Basketball Coach
- July 7, 2008
Toni West, formerly women's basketball head coach at Los Positas College in Livermore and an assistant coach at San Francisco State University last year, has been appointed women's basketball head coach at Cal State East Bay.
The announcement was made by CSUEB Athletic Director Debby De Angelis, who believes that West "is a good fit for the CSUEB women's basketball program" with the university's athletic program preparing to move to the NCAA Division II ranks and compete in the California Collegiate Athletic Association.
"Toni has knowledge of the CCAA, having spent a year as an assistant coach at San Francisco State," De Angelis said. "She had incredible success with a first-year Las Positas College program in 2006-07. Toni's background with the community colleges and her knowledge of Northern California women's basketball programs will have an immediate impact."
West succeeds Sara Judd, who stepped down as the women's basketball coach in June after heading the program for 11 years.
"I'm extremely excited to be part of the women's basketball program at Cal State East Bay," West said. "Having once been a student here, I never in my wildest dreams imagined becoming the head women's basketball coach at Cal State East Bay."
As San Francisco State's top assistant women's basketball coach in 2007-08, the Gators finished with an overall record of 14-14 and were sixth in the CCAA with an 11-9 conference record.
In 2006-07, Las Positas College's first year of competition in the sport, West guided Las Positas to a 20-victory season and a berth in the California Junior College playoffs in just the first season of the program.
Prior to taking the helm at Las Positas, West was an assistant women's basketball coach at Delta College in Stockton between 2004 and 2006. It was there that West help lead the school's women's basketball team to a conference championship, elite-eight appearances, and the runner-up spot for the California State championship. Previously she was on the coaching staff at DeAnza College in Cupertino and served as the girl's junior varsity coach and assistant varsity coach at Milpitas High School.
The new Pioneer women's coach said she is ready to contribute as head coach of the Pioneers.
"Cal State East Bay women's basketball is an established program," she said. "I bring energy and excitement to it. I'm a real team player who believes in building solid relationships with the players, staff and the Hayward community."
West also was a physical education instructor at Las Positas College and a fitness instructor at the Livermore Community Center. She also has served as a certified personal trainer in San Carlos.
West earned her bachelor's degree in communications studies, with a minor in journalism, from San Jose State University in 2000. She earned a master's degree in health, physical education, and recreation from St. Mary's College in 2005.