Northern Arizona University Head Women’s Basketball Coach Laura Dinkins has officially finalized her coaching staff ahead of the 2025–26 season. A proud NAU alumna and former standout player from 2003–08, Dinkins returned to Flagstaff on April 1, 2025, after two successful seasons as the Associate Head Coach at Grand Canyon University.
Dinkins has assembled a dynamic and experienced staff to usher in a new era of Lumberjack Women’s Basketball:
- Bryan Camacho joins the program as Associate Head Coach, bringing a wealth of tactical knowledge and leadership to the bench.
- Nicholas Milan has been named Assistant Coach and Recruiting Coordinator, tasked with leading the program’s national recruiting efforts.
- Dajae Black steps in as Assistant Coach, known for her recruiting efforts, player development acumen and defensive tenacity.
- Kristyna Jeskeova will serve as the Director of Operations and Chief of Staff, ensuring seamless day-to-day operations and program logistics.
“I’m incredibly proud of the staff we’ve brought together,” said Dinkins. “Each of these individuals brings unique strengths, deep character, and a commitment to excellence that aligns with our vision for NAU Women’s Basketball. Together, we’re ready to build something special in Flagstaff.”
The Lumberjacks look to build on their proud tradition as they head into a new season under Dinkins’ leadership.
A full bio on each new Lumberjack coach can be found below.
Bryan Camacho | Associate Head Coach
Bryan Camacho brings over 20 years of coaching experience to Northern Arizona University, most recently serving as an assistant coach for the Grand Canyon University women’s basketball program. In 2024-25, Camacho helped guide the Lopes to a historic season. The Lopes won the program’s first Western Athletic Conference regular season and tournament titles, finishing 32-3 overall and 16-0 in conference play, and earning their first NCAA Division I Tournament appearance in school history.
Camacho’s coaching résumé spans every level of basketball, from high school to Division I, and includes experience on both the men’s and women’s sides. Before joining GCU, he spent a season as the head coach at Central Arizona College. Prior to that, he served six seasons at Long Beach State University, where he helped lead the Beach to three Big West quarterfinal appearances, one semifinal appearance, and back-to-back WNIT berths in 2021-22 and 2022-23.
During his time at Long Beach State, Camacho coached several standout players, including Big West Player of the Year Tori Harris and Big West Defensive Players of the Year Maddi Utti and Kristyna Jeskeova.
Camacho began building his coaching legacy at the high school level. As head girls’ basketball coach at Bishop Alemany High School, he compiled a 165-44 record and led the program to a California state championship. He also coached Bellarmine-Jefferson High School to a state title, where he posted a 185-51 record.
His other coaching stops include stints at CSUN (women’s basketball), University of Great Falls (men’s basketball), and Chaminade College Preparatory (West Hills, Calif.). As a player, Camacho was a team captain at College of the Canyons, where he led his team to a Western State Conference title and earned all-conference honors.
He holds an associate’s degree from College of the Canyons and a bachelor’s degree in history from UCLA.
Nicholas Milan | Assistant Coach/Recruiting Coordinator
Nicholas Milan joins the Northern Arizona University women’s basketball staff after spending eight seasons at Cal State Fullerton, where he steadily rose through the ranks. He was promoted to Assistant Coach in 2020–21 and later named Recruiting Coordinator in 2022–23, after originally starting as Director of Basketball Operations.
During his time at CSUF, Milan played a key role in all facets of the program, including recruiting, game preparation, player development, and program administration. He has built strong recruiting ties across the West Coast. His player development work focused on forwards and post players, notably mentoring Eva Levingston to Big West All-Freshman Team honors. In his third season, CSUF posted a 17–14 record — the program’s first winning season since 1990–91.
A native of Honolulu, Hawai’i, Milan graduated from Cal State Fullerton in 2009 with a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology. While completing his degree, he assisted with the boys’ basketball program at Yorba Linda High School.
Following graduation, he returned to Hawai’i and earned a Master’s in Education Administration from the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa, where he served as graduate manager for the Rainbow Warrior basketball program. He was responsible for handling administrative duties, compiling scouting reports, and coordinating player workouts.
Milan also played two seasons at Orange Coast College, where he contributed to the program’s first playoff win in 20 years—an experience that helped lay the foundation for his career in collegiate athletics.
Dajae Black | Assistant Coach
Dajae Black joins Northern Arizona University following two seasons at Truman State University, where she served as the Assistant Women’s Basketball Coach and Recruiting Coordinator. During her tenure, Black played a pivotal role in helping the Bulldogs double their win total and secure a berth in the Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) Tournament.
As Recruiting Coordinator, she was instrumental in identifying and signing high-level student-athletes who aligned with the program’s competitive and academic standards. She also contributed extensively to the daily operations of the program, including opponent scouting, film breakdown, fundraising initiatives, youth and elite camps, and community engagement efforts.
Prior to joining the Truman State staff, Black served as an Assistant Coach at the University of Akron during the 2022–23 season. During her time with the Zips, she contributed to a successful campaign in which Akron posted a 17–13 overall record, including a strong showing in Mid-American Conference (MAC) play.
Black also spent two seasons with the Grand Canyon University Women’s Basketball Program, where she quickly rose through the ranks. She began as a graduate assistant during the 2020–21 season and was promoted to Director of Basketball Operations the following year. She was part of a historic stretch for the program, as the Lopes advanced to the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) Championship Game for the first time in their Division I history in 2020–21 and returned to the title game the following season. Over those two years, Grand Canyon compiled a standout 40–17 record.
A native of Chicago, Ill., Black had a successful collegiate playing career at Lewis University in Romeoville, Illinois. She appeared in 97 games and played a key role in leading the Flyers to a 93–34 record during her time with the program. Her playing career was defined by team success and a strong winning culture, laying the foundation for her transition into coaching.
Kristyna Jeskeova | Director of Operations/Chief of Staff
Kristyna Jeskeova had a successful playing career at Long Beach State where she was the 2023 Big West Defensive Player of the Year, 2023 Big West Hustle Player of the Year and a member of the 2023 All-Big West Defensive Team.
As a senior at Long Beach State, she started 23 games and averaged 6.3 points, 1.0 assists and 2.7 steals per game while leading the team in rebounding with 6.7 per contest.
She transferred to Grand Canyon where she sat out her first year due to injury but played in 20 games in 2024-25. She averaged 3.6 points per game for the Lopes, to go with 4.2 rebounds per game, 31 steals, 14 blocks and shot 57.4 percent from the field. Grand Canyon earned a 32-3 record in 2024-25, including a perfect 16-0 in Western Athletic Conference play – winning both the WAC regular season and tournament titles, advancing to the NCAA tournament.
Jeskeova is a native of Jablonec nad Nisou, Czech Republic.
