Niva Taito joined Caltech Women's Basketball in 2025 as an assistant coach.
Coach Niva is a passionate leader and advocate for women’s basketball, dedicated to developing athletes both on and off the court. A first-generation Samoan, she became the first in her family to graduate from college. Earning a full athletic scholarship, Niva became a standout player at the University of Texas Permian Basin, where she earned MVP honors (2015–2017) and ranked among the program’s top 10 all-time scorers. Following college, she played professionally overseas in Paris, France, gaining international experience and an understanding of elite-level competition.
Since moving into coaching, Niva has worked with athletes across Division I programs, including Long Beach State and University of Texas at Arlington, focusing on player development and mental skills training. She specializes in women’s basketball development, creating programs that combine performance psychology and holistic training to help each athlete reach her full potential.
An advocate for women’s sports, Niva is committed to empowering female athletes, fostering confidence, resilience, and leadership on and off the court. She holds a master’s degree in sports and performance psychology and has published a mental skills training curriculum, using evidence-based strategies to help players excel under pressure and achieve sustained success.
Off the court, Niva mentors the next generation of female leaders in basketball, championing opportunities for women in sport while helping athletes grow into confident, capable, and driven competitors.
