BC Women’s Basketball Coach and Player Win Conference Awards
Wednesday, March 18, 2026
The Women’s Basketball team just completed one of the best seasons in the program’s history. They finished the campaign with 20 victories, which was the most since the 2014-15 season, and on February 25th, they celebrated their first road playoff victory in more than 30 years! To cap off the successful 2025-26 season, coach Grant Bingham was named Co-Coach of the year and point guard Danika Tolentino was named Co-Player of the year for the Western State Conference South Division.
Both Coach Bingham and Danika took time out of their busy schedules to reflect on the successful season, team accomplishments, and receiving conference awards.
Coach Bingham joined Bakersfield College as head coach of the women’s basketball team in 2024, making this his second full season in that position. He expressed gratitude for the accomplishments of the team during the 2025-26 season. “This season went extremely well. We had a large freshman class this year, and sometimes, for freshman, there can be an adjustment period to competing at this level,” he said, “but this group put that notion out of the way and started attacking on day one. From game one to game thirty, there was never one ounce of quit in this team.”
When asked if there was a certain point in the season or moment when the team really came together, he mentioned a stretch where they had a five-game losing streak. “In the middle of the season, we went on a five-game losing streak. And with a young inexperienced group – they had to figure out what they wanted to be,” he said, “and once we turned that corner, and once they understood what it takes to compete and win at this level – I think that was kind of the turning point of the season.”
He then talked about being named Co-Coach of the Year for the conference. “It’s great, and I am very honored and flattered, but in all reality, I don’t earn any of that without [the players],” he said, “I always tell them in our meetings that it’s their car, and I just give them the keys. So, I am the fortunate one to hand them the keys, and they accomplished some great things. I don’t get any [awards] without them.”
Danika Tolentino is a freshman point guard for the women’s basketball team. She put together a standout season, averaging 17.1 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 2.6 assists per game. Her performance on the court earned her Co-Player of the Year in the conference and helped lead the team to the second round of the playoffs.
She also talked about the successes and challenges of the 2025-26 season. “It was a really good season overall. It was something new to all of us, getting to know each other and building chemistry,” she said, “and having to start from zero to getting to where we were – it really sets the tone for next year. There were a lot of ups and downs, but it really made us who we are and got us ready for the playoffs. I am excited to see where this team is going next year.”
When asked about being named Co-Player of the Year, she replied, “I was so surprised! Coach facetimed me and said he had some big news – so, I was kind of nervous. But when he said I was Co-Player of the Year – I was really surprised.” She continued, “I didn’t even know I could reach that, and I was really happy to receive that recognition. And coach won Co-Coach of the year, so it felt like something we had built together.”
She also talked about playing for Coach Bingham and how he helped improve her performance and college experience. “Playing for Coach Grant this season was refreshing,” she said, “in high school, I didn’t play so much, didn’t really have the confidence that I needed – and building a relationship with Coach Grant built a lot of trust, which brought that confidence I needed to play out there.”
Coach Bingham also heaped praise on Danika and her performance throughout the season. “I think her playoff run is what kind of defined her. She hit big shots for us all season long. She hit a big shot for us that helped us get to the second round (of the playoffs),” he said, “and we had that confidence in her – and it kind of summed up her entire year.” He also talked about her growth throughout the season. “Where she grew, on the floor to where we were at the end of the season – she was a completely different player and her confidence was oozing,” he said, “she played a big role for us night in and night out and I couldn’t be more proud of her.”
Congratulations to Coach Grant Bingham and Danika Tolentino for your accomplishments, awards, and milestones of the 2025-26 basketball season. With several players returning next year, the future is looking bright for the women’s basketball team at Bakersfield College. As they look ahead to next season, the hope is that the foundation they built this year will translate to more team chemistry, victories, playoff runs and a culture of excellence that could define the program for years to come.
