Laura Dinkins begins her second year as an assistant coach for the Idaho State women’s basketball team.
 
Dinkins came to Pocatello after serving as an assistant coach at Northern Arizona for two years. At NAU, Dinkins worked with the guards and assisted with recruiting, scouting and academic mentoring. Her duties also included game preparation, coordination of team travel, and the overseeing of community service performed by student-athletes and staff.
 
Dinkins also had a very successful playing career at Northern Arizona from 2003-08. Dinkins played forward at NAU and produced one of the most decorated careers in program history. She is second all-time at NAU with 714 rebounds and second all-time with 252 rebounds in a single season (2007-08). She also played a program-record 1,144 minutes during the 2007-08 season.
 
Dinkins was a member of the 2005-06 team that won NAU's first Big Sky Championship, earning a trip to the NCAA Tournament.
 
Dinkins was named Big Sky Conference Defensive Player of the Year in her junior season and was selected all-conference second team as a senior.
 
Prior to joining the NAU staff, Dinkins spent two years playing professional basketball in Europe. She played in Germany for the Chem Cats, helping the team earn a Division II Championship. She also played a season in The Netherlands for the Perik Jumpers.
 
Dinkins is originally from Rialto, Calif. She earned her undergraduate degree in health sciences from Northern Arizona in 2008.