UVI Athletics Names Aliyah-Deen Ahmad Women’s Basketball Graduate Assistant

ST. THOMAS, U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS, September 5, 2025 – Aliyah-Deen Ahmad has been named as the graduate assistant for the University of the Virgin Islands (UVI) Lady Buccaneers basketball program. Ahmad arrives at UVI following her tenure as a professional basketball player abroad in Portugal and Croatia. She will now transition to coaching while pursuing a master's degree in psychology at the university.

"Coming to UVI as a graduate assistant is truly a blessing and the newest chapter of my journey," said Ahmad. "Basketball has taken me all over the world and taught me resilience, leadership, and purpose. Now I am in a position where I can give back to student-athletes while also furthering my education, which means so much to me. I am very excited about this season; we have an amazing group of girls, and I am thankful for the opportunity to grow as a coach and mentor."

The native of Corona, California, completed her undergraduate degree at Florida Memorial University, where she suited up for the Lady Lions basketball team. In her senior year, Ahmad was awarded First Team All-Sun Conference honors, the Sun Conference Tournament MVP, and received All-American Honorable Mention recognition while guiding her team to a conference championship and securing a berth in the NAIA tournament.

"I am excited to welcome Aliyah-Deen to UVI and the athletics department," said director of athletics Dr. Karen Carty. "Her collegiate and professional playing experiences will inform the work she will do with our women's basketball student-athletes and help them to take their talent to the next level."

Ahmad will make her coaching debut this fall for the Lady Buccaneers, where she envisions that her professional expertise, championship experience, and leadership qualities will make her a valuable asset to the Lady Buccaneers coaching staff.