Assistant Coach Alan Nakamura

Alan Nakamura is in his ninth year as Point Loma Nazarene's assistant women's basketball coach. With his help, the Sea Lions have evolved into an elite NAIA squad, winning at least 20 games the past seven years with as many national tournament appearances. The team's high point at nationals came in 2004-05 season when PLNU won 33 games and reached the NAIA's "Final Four."

Last year (2008-09), the Sea Lions posted a 27-7 overall record and was 17-3 in the Golden State Athletic Conference, good for second place. PLNU won two games at the NAIA National Championships, finishing in fifth place. In the prior season, the Sea Lions went 29-3 overall, 19-1 in conference and won both the regular season and GSAC tournament titles.

A graduate of San Diego State University with a degree in psychology and from Azusa Pacific University with a Master’s degree in education/physical education, Nakamura brings in a wealth of coaching and teaching experience.

Prior to joining Coach Westphal’s staff in 2000, Nakamura was a teacher, counselor and coach at Horizon and Santa Fe Christian high schools. Over the years he coached high school baseball, football, and girls and boys basketball, as well as junior college football. In two years as the head coach at Horizon he led the Girl's Basketball team to the San Diego CIF Finals and semi-Finals, and the Southern California Regional.

Nakamura's main responsibilities with the basketball program include developing the perimeter players, scouting, running the defense and serving as the program's recruiting coordinator. When not attending to basketball matters, Nakamura teaches in the kinesiology department at PLNU.

Nakamura also coached high school surfing and was the Southern California Masters surfing champion two times, surfed in the National Amateur Championships four times, was on the National Champion San Diego State Surf Team and spent time on the Professional Surfing Association of America Tour (now the WQS).

A California native, Nakamura lives in the Clairemont area with his wife of 15 years, Franci, and their sons Kealoha, Kalani, and daughter Selah-Joy. Nakamura enjoys spending time with his family, surfing and reading.