The Alaska Nanooks women’s basketball program has announced the hiring of Destiny Reimers as a graduate assistant ahead of the 2025-26 season via the Women’s Sports Foundation’s Tara VanDerveer Fund for the Advancement of Women in Coaching. This opportunity supports the development of a young coach – one who will grow into a leader, mentor, and role model capable of shaping the lives of young athletes.
“I’m thrilled to welcome Destiny Reimers to our coaching staff,” said head women’s basketball coach Michael Ricks. “She was a leader on the court and in the classroom throughout her career at UAF, and she brings a deep understanding of what it means to be a Nanook. I’m confident she’ll make an immediate impact as she begins her coaching journey.”
Reimers will be offered a fellowship position as Graduate Assistant Women’s Basketball Coach. Lena Krutikov, Assistant Director of Athletics for Athletics Academic Services and Senior Woman Administrator, and Michael Ricks, Women’s Basketball Head Coach, will partner with the Women’s Sports Foundation to mentor the recipient, Destiny Reimers, of the Tara VanDerveer Fund for the Advancement of Women in Coaching. She will assist with all aspects of a Division-II basketball program in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference. These duties will include marketing the program, recruiting qualified student-athletes in the sport of basketball in both individual and team activities, advanced scouting of opponents, coordinating team travel, academic case management, and remaining compliant with NCAA regulations.
Reimers played for the Nanooks women’s basketball team for four seasons, averaging 11.2 points and 5.5 rebounds per game in her career. During her last season with the ‘Nooks in 2024-25, she led the team in scoring (14 ppg) and rebounding (6.4 rpg), while tallying the second-most assists (64), steals (47) and blocks (16). She broke the 20-point mark on four occasions and logged five double-doubles during her senior season, helping her earn GNAC All-Conference Honorable Mention Honors.
“I am so excited to have this opportunity to learn from awesome coaches and also help the next college athletes that come to the Nanook program!” said Reimers.
The Tara VanDerveer Grant is named after and inspired by legendary Stanford women’s basketball coach, Tara VanDerveer, who won three NCAA championships (1990, 1992, 2021), five national coach of the year awards (1988, 1989, 1990, 2011, 2021) and ended her career as the second-winningest coach in NCAA basketball history, compiling a record of 1,216-271 (.818). She was elected into the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame in 2002 and the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2011.
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