Sacramento State has hired McClatchy high school head coach Jessica Kunisaki as an assistant coach, head coach Bunky Harkleroad announced on Tuesday.

“There are a number of things that make Jessica a good hire for us,” Harkleroad said. “She has good experience and has a very successful track record. She understands the dynamics of the local basketball scene and has solid connections within the community and is a great addition to our staff.”

Kunisaki spent the last six years leading the varsity girls’ basketball team at C.K. McClatchy high school in Sacramento. She coached her team to the first state championship in school history in 2015, winning the first girls state championship in the history of the Sacramento Unified School District. She was named the 2015 Sacramento Bee Coach of the Year and the 2015 MaxPreps California Coach of the Year.

“I think it’s a good opportunity to expand my basketball knowledge at the collegiate level,” Kunisaki said. “I’ve come to some practices here and learned about how they play and tried to apply it to my team (at McClatchy). It was hard to leave McClatchy but I’m excited to be here.”

A Sacramento native, Kunisaki became the head coach of the McClatchy varsity team in 2010 after leading the junior varsity squad for two seasons. She also starred for the McClatchy team as a student-athlete from 2000-04 and holds school records for single-season assists and steals.

Kunisaki is also an alum of Sacramento State as she completed a masters’ of science in school counseling in 2013. She played collegiate basketball as an undergrad at Chapman University in Orange County, breaking the program record for assists in a game, and earned her bachelor’s degree in leadership and organizational studies in 2008.

http://www.hornetsports.com/sports/wbkb/2015-16/releases/20160705omq7dy

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