Christine Worsley announced on Tuesday, the hiring of Interim Head Coach, KC Waters for the 2021-2022 season. 

 

Waters was a volunteer assistant coach during the 2020-2021 season and this will be her first official year with the Vikings. Waters played basketball overseas in Amsterdam, fufilling one of her childhood dreams of playing professionally. Waters then decided to dedicate her time to coaching full time. Waters played college basketball at UC Berkeley, part of the Pac 12 and one of the most competitive conferences in the country. During her time with the Golden Bears, she competed in the NCAA Tournament three times, making the round of 32 each time. Waters graduated from Cal with her degree in Legal Studies in 2017. 

 

Waters played 4 years varsity at Bishop O’dowd high school in Oakland CA, after working hard her freshman year she was then awarded California State freshman of the year. Continuing on her high school career where she appeared in 3 state championships, winning 2 out of the 3 in her junior and senior season. First winning the division 3 state title in 2012 and the first ever California State Open division title as a senior in 2013. After spending a few summers with Team Taurasi out of Southern California where she traveled all over the country competing with and against the top girls in the country, she decided to accept a full ride scholarship to the University of California Berkeley.

 

After being a 2 time state champion, successful college student athlete, and professional women’s basketball player, she’s proven that basketball can take you all over the world and prepare you for the next step whatever that may be. Waters still has many connections with college coaches and professional players she hopes to teach, encourage and mentor young women on their own journey to achieve their hopes and dreams.

Waters announced her staff on Tuesday, hiring Casey Doronkina, and Mark Hurtado as her Assistant Coaches.

This will be Doronkina’s first season as an assistant coach at Diablo Valley College. Doronkina was a four year varsity basketball player at College Park and was a Team Captain three out of those four years. Tearing her ACL her sophomore year and coming back her junior year to make it to NCS sadly losing the first round. To her senior year where she had numerous “Players of the Game” accolades, earning First Team All League and MVP at the end of the season. This doesn’t include numerous MVP in tournaments outside the league (i.e. Alameda Tournament, West Coast Jamboree). Doronkina also played in multiple summer AAU teams, in 8th grade playing with FastBreak’s (Carondelet) JV team in 2011, being a freshman on the CalStars Junior Team in 2012, and inducted into the Hall of Fame for 50 All Stars in 2014.

All of this hard work and preparation brought Doronkina to Hastings College (D2 NAIA) where she played all four years on scholarship. Three out of those four years they went to Nationals, losing second round her sophomore year, final four in her junior year and then ranked nationally number 1 her senior year (due to covid there was no tournament). She also earned herself the Champions of Character Award. She graduated class of 2020 with a BA in Psychology and is on her way to get her Masters in Sports Psychology (fall of 2022-2023 school year here in the Bay Area). She has also just finished her first season of playing Semi-Pro for SF Power in the Women's Universal Basketball Association (WUBA). 

Doronkina was the assistant coach for the College Park girls basketball team in 2020-21 who ended up first in league by the end of the season. She personally has been coaching since 2015 through FastBreak, Norcal Prep, 50 All Stars, and a few others. Her I.Q. and love for the sport has definitely pushed her into coaching more seriously. She wants to be a role model for the next generations to come while also helping them develop skills that will last a lifetime. 

Mark Hurtado was named Assistant Coach as well. This will be Hurtado’s first year as an assistant coach at Diablo Valley College Women’s Basketball Team. He was unofficially the assistant coach for the 2020-2021 season. Hurtado graduated from College Park in 1991 and got his AA at DVC transferring to Cal State Hayward. In Hayward he earned his BA in Liberal Studies which helped him gain his teaching Credential UOP. This will be his 21st year teaching P.E. in AUSD. 

Hurtado coached the Deer Valley’s High school girls varsity team for 5 years with a 112-49 overall record and the boys varsity for 2. In his years coaching the girls team has earned 3 BVAL league titles (2011,’12,’14), 2012 NCS Runner Ups, and Division 1 NCS Champs in 2014. He has also won the 2012 BVAL Coach Of The Year award and has matriculated several girls to D1 Schools to play on scholarships. Hurtado is married and has three brilliant daughters.