RILEY RAINS / SPORTS EDITOR

Blanche Alverson, an experienced collegiate coach and former athlete, was recently hired as the fourth head coach in San Diego women’s basketball history. USD Associate Vice President and Executive Director of Athletics Kimya Massey announced the coaching hire on March 25. After the announcement, there was a press conference held for questions regarding the new hire. 

“The level of coaching talent attracted to the job was phenomenal,” Massey said at the press conference. “Blanche is a proven leader and mentor who has developed winning cultures at every stop of her career. As a former high level student-athlete herself, she understands what it takes to compete, lead and succeed on and off the court.”

The Toreros’ new head coach does not just have a talent for coaching; Alverson attended Auburn University and received her bachelor’s degree in biomedical sciences in 2013. During her time as an   undergraduate, she played for the women’s basketball team at Auburn and set a slew of remarkable records. She finished her career ranked second all-time in three-pointers and became the fourth player in Auburn’s program history to record 1,000 points, 500 rebounds, 100 assists, 100 steals and 50 blocks. 

During her graduating year, she was named to the Allstate Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) Good Works Team, a program that recognizes college basketball players who make outstanding contributions in community service. Her commitment on and off the court is something that the athletic board is looking forward to having. 

“Her vision for USD women’s basketball reflects our shared commitment to raising the bar, returning to postseason play and building a program that consistently operates at a championship level,” Massey shared. “I’m looking forward to this next chapter and what lies ahead under her leadership.”

Alverson’s leadership so far has been largely successful. After receiving her master’s degree at Texas Tech University in sports management, Alverson began her coaching career as a graduate assistant at Texas Tech. She then held similar assistant coaching positions at New Mexico State University, University of Southern California (USC) and the Georgia Institute of Technology. During her time at New Mexico State, she mentored two-time Western Athletic Conference (WAC) Player of the Year, Brooke Salas. At USC, Alverson secured the No. 5 recruiting class in the nation. 

Most recently, she held the role of being Georgia Tech’s associate head coach. Under her leadership, the Yellow Jackets advanced to four post-season appearances. The victories included three NCAA Tournaments, three 20+ win seasons, 12 victories over ranked opponents and the programs second-ever NCAA Sweet 16 run in March Madness. She coached the team into climbing to No. 13 in the Associated Press poll for the longest win streak with 15 games. 

Alverson also led multiple academic initiatives, with many student-athletes receiving conference academic awards under her leadership. 

Many Torero leaders are excited about her addition to the staff, including head USD men’s basketball coach, Josh Pastner. 

“Blanche Alverson is a slam dunk hire,” Pastner said. “She’s a relentless competitor, a phenomenal leader, and one of the most driven and dynamic coaches in the country. Her energy is infectious, her connection with players is unmatched, and she’s going to do amazing things at USD. I’m fired up for her and for the future of Torero Women’s Basketball!”

Alverson herself is excited for the new adventure. 

“From the start, I’ve been very impressed and inspired by the leadership, the mission and the shared vision for what Torero women’s basketball can become,” Alverson explained. “USD is a special place — elite academics, a beautiful campus, top-tier facilities and a community that truly cares. I’m honored to lead and serve the incredible young women in this program, and I’m excited to build something meaningful — on and off the court. I believe we can recruit and compete at a championship level, both within the conference and nationally.”

Prior to March 25, Cindy Fisher was the head coach of the USD women’s basketball teams. She began her leadership of the Toreros in 2005, and managed to succeed in nine postseason appearances. Fisher’s guidance earned her three West Coast Conference Coach of the Year honors, occurring in 2007, 2012 and 2020. She ended her time as a Torero with an overall record of 345 – 267. 

Fisher recently parted ways with USD after 20 years. The USD Vista reached out to Fisher, assistant coaches and athletes to learn about her step back on multiple occasions, and all failed or    declined to comment. 

Looking forward, the USD community seems optimistic about Alverson’s fresh perspective on our women’s basketball team. With the 2025 season just coming to a close with an overall record of 7 – 24, the Toreros will see how Alverson fairs in 2026.

Blanche Alverson coaching the Georgia Tech women’s team. Photo courtesy of @blanchealverson/Instagram