Fresh off a record-setting season in year two under Head Coach, Landon Steele the Dodge City women's basketball program will have a new addition to the coaching staff for the upcoming 2023-24 season as Danielle Rinaldo joins the coaching staff as an assistant coach. 

Rinaldo brings plenty of basketball knowledge to the table with coaching and playing experience and a great amount of familiarity with the junior college level having played and coached in the NJCAA. The Sterling, Colorado native most recently coached at Laramie County Community College in Wyoming as an assistant and interim head coach. 

"I'm excited for this opportunity to be able to come into a successful program led by Coach (Landon) Steele. I believe this opportunity gives me a chance to grow and develop as a coach. The women's basketball program is just scratching the surface of where it could go and the success it could have. I'm also eager to be a part of the Dodge City community and get to know the players," said Rinaldo about the opportunity to join the coaching staff at Dodge City. 

Rinaldo was on the coaching staff at Laramie County Community College from 2018-2021 helping the program to several accomplishments. She stepped in as head coach during the pandemic for the 2020-21 season and led the team to a 12-10 record. That team finished third in the North sub-region and made it to the second round of regionals while having three Region IX All-Tournament team players and the first two NCAA Division I transfer players in the program's history. Her team also had the highest team GPA (3.76) in program history. From 2018-2020 she was an assistant coach at Laramie County under Brian Ortmeier, during which she was part of the program's winningest season in 2018-19 as the team went 19-12. Before joining the staff at Laramie County, she was a graduate assistant at the University of Northern Colorado as she worked in the Sports Performance Department working specifically with women's basketball. 

The Sterling, Colorado native was a three-sport athlete in high school (volleyball, basketball, and track) and was a three-time all-state selection in basketball which is the sport she would pursue in college. Rinaldo suited up for Northeastern Junior College helping the team to the NJCAA national tournament and earning All-Region Academic honors. She also played at Colorado Mesa University where she helped the team win a Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference and Region championship, along with a bid to the NCAA DII national tournament. 

"I hope to make an impact on the Dodge City women's basketball program and the female student-athletes by being the best leader, mentor, and role model I can be. The focus is to create a welcoming and supportive environment for all involved within the program. My goal is to help the team build upon their winning season and help the players become the best version of themselves on and off the court. I hope to empower the young athletes I work with and to develop their strengths and combat their weaknesses as I want the student-athletes to feel ready for their next endeavor after Dodge City CC," said Rinaldo on how she hopes to impact the program and Conquistador athletics. 

Rinaldo graduated with her bachelor's degree in Kinesiology and minor in personal training from Colorado Mesa University and then earned her Master's in Exercise Science: Social Psychology of Sport and Physical Activity from the University of Northern Colorado. She also is a certified strength and conditioning specialist and has been for the past six years. 

The Conquistador women's basketball team is eager to continue to move forward and put together another top-flight season in the KJCCC and the nation.