OREM, Utah — Utah Valley women's basketball has finalized its coaching staff with the hiring of former Wolverine Danja Collins as an assistant coach. Collins spent her final season of collegiate basketball at Utah Valley after previous stops at Eastern Arizona College and Santa Clara University.
"We are so excited to bring Danja back into our program," Utah Valley head coach Dan Nielson said. "She brings toughness and an understanding of how our program operates that will help our post players grasp our schemes and expectations. Her positivity is infectious and will be a great asset in recruiting and building player relationships. I can't wait to see the same drive and passion she had as a player be used as a coach."
Collins brought her toughness to the Wolverines during the 2024-25 season, averaging 8.4 points per game while leading the Western Athletic Conference in rebounding at 9.0 per game. She scored a season-high 18 points against Abilene Christian and recorded a season-best 14 rebounds against Jacksonville State.
At Utah Valley, Collins helped lead the Wolverines to their first postseason victory, a 70-64 win over Air Force. She recorded a double-double in the second round against Washington State with 10 points and 10 rebounds.
"I am so excited to be a Wolverine again," Collins said. "Spending my final year of eligibility at UVU was the highlight of my playing career, and I am extremely grateful to be part of this program again. I can't wait to contribute to this new era of Big West competition alongside this exceptional staff."
A proven winner at multiple levels, Collins earned NJCAA All-American honorable mention honors at Eastern Arizona College. She was named ACCAC Freshman of the Year and earned first-team all-region and ACCAC Division I first-team honors after averaging 17.2 points and 15.7 rebounds per game.
Her standout freshman campaign earned her a scholarship to Santa Clara, where she appeared in more than 60 career games. She helped the Broncos reach the inaugural Women's Basketball Invitation Tournament (WBIT) and was named to the West Coast Conference Commissioner's Honor Roll in 2022-23. She also earned gold honor status for the 2023-24 season.
Most recently, Collins served as an assistant coach for the Mountain View High School girls varsity team during the 2025-26 season and was the head coach of the Bruins' eighth-grade team.
Collins and spouse Ammon are expecting their first child in September.
