Valerie Nainima [SOURCE: BASKETBALL FIJI]

Former Basketball Fiji captain Valerie Nainima has been appointed the assistant coach for the Michigan’s Women Basketball.

Nainima, spent her last seven years as part of the Fordham University program’s coaching staff and has been warmly welcomed to the Michigan Wolverines led by head coach Kim Barnes Arico.

Arico says she has been one of the best developers of talent at the point guard position.

She adds Nainima is an extremely hard-working and loyal individual who has a great ability to build relationships with players, recruits, and within the community.

Nainima led Fiji to a silver medal finish in the 2019 Pacific Games to qualify for the FIBA Women’s Asia Cup.

Nainima was born in Rakiraki, and a former Basketball Fiji Development Officer.

The 34-year-old helped launched the ‘Hoops For Health’ program in the country in 2014 and is now one of the pillars of basketball development Fiji.