Women's Basketball | 6/2/2025 12:35:00 PM

Utah Tech head women's basketball coach JD Gustin announced on Monday three new additions to his coaching staff ahead of the 2025-26 season.

Former Fresno State assistant coach Alan Nakamura is joining the program as an assistant coach, as are former Trailblazer standouts Breaunna Gillen and Emily (Isaacson) Chamberlain.  

Nakamura (San Diego State, 1984) comes to Utah Tech with more than 20 years of coaching experience at the collegiate level, which includes his lone season with the Bulldogs' program last year.

Prior to his brief stint at Fresno State, he spent nine years as the head coach of the women's basketball program at Biola University, where he posted a 132-113 (.539) overall record leading the Eagles. Under Nakamura's leadership, Biola made multiple Pacific West Conference tournament appearances, and led the Eagle program to a 23-8 record and was named 2017-18 Golden State Athletic Conference Coach of the Year in his second year as head coach.

Before his time at Biola, Nakamura spent 15 seasons as an assistant coach at Point Loma Nazarene in San Diego, where he helped lead the Sea Lions to a top-three PacWest conference finish and an NCAA Division II West Regional First Round victory.

"Coach Nakamura is a seasoned veteran and maybe more importantly, a person of terrific integrity and principle," Coach Gustin said. "He is a tireless worker that loves people and loves the game. I am thrilled that he has accepted our invitation to join our team and university."

After a storied five-year playing career, Gillen returns to her alma mater for her debut season as an assistant coach.

Gillen (Utah Tech, 2023) was a two-time first team all-WAC selection during her five seasons as a Trailblazer, highlighted by a stellar fifth-year campaign in 2023-24, during which she was the conference third-leading scorer and led the WAC in assists for the second-consecutive season. In fact, she was the only player in the WAC to finish the season ranked in the top-10 in scoring, assists, rebounds, field goal percentage, free throw percentage and assist/turnover ratio.

Gillen closed her stellar career as Utah Tech's all-time leader in points (m/w - 1,608), assists (m/w - 555), games played (121) and started (98), field goals made (608) and attempted (1,364), and triple-doubles (3). She is also ranked in the top-four, all-time in program history in career free throws made (2nd - 316) and attempted (2nd - 430), assist average (3rd - 4.58 apg), and steals (4th - 121). Gillen also owns the program's single-season (200 - 2022-23) and single game (13) assists records.

"The idea that Breaunna would want to come back and work with our program is humbling and encouraging," said Coach Gustin. "She is both brilliant and hard-working with a tremendous basketball playing resume and wants to share her knowledge and experience with our players.

"She brings a positive and confident energy to the room and her exceptional relationship skills will help in every aspect of this job," Gustin added. "I could not be more excited about Breaunna joining our staff."

Fresh off her stellar six-year Trailblazer playing career, Chamberlain (Utah Tech, 2024) begins her coaching career this upcoming season.

Chamberlain, who was a 2021-22 second team all-WAC pick, closed her storied career as the program's all-time leader in 3-point field goals made (259) and 3FG percentage (.3997), and finished as Utah Tech's third all-time leading scorer (1,199 pts) and fourth all-time leading rebounder (599).

She is also one of only three players in program history with at least 1,195 points and 595 rebounds, and wound up third all-time in steals (133) and field goals made (409), and fourth in career blocks (66).

"We are thrilled that Emily has accepted our invitation to become an assistant coach for our program," Coach Gustin said. "She is an intelligent and driven young lady who has represented our team and institution in a tremendous way as a student-athlete, and now has an opportunity to as a coach."