Isayra Diaz is entering her sixth year as an assistant coach at Grambling State University. Coach Diaz job duties are skill development with the guards, film exchange, scouting, recruiting and academics.
Since her arrival in Grambling in 2015, Diaz’s roles have paid dividends in the Lady Tigers’ success.
In 2017-2018 season, Grambling State finished third in the SWAC standings, but won the SWAC Women's Tournament Championship for the first time since 1999. The Lady Tigers defeated Alcorn State in the quarterfinals, followed by a semifinal win over Texas Southern. Grambling State and rival Southern met in the championship with the Lady Tigers picking up the win and the tournament title. She also was a huge part of Shakyla Hill's success as the junior guard became just the fourth women's basketball player to record a quadruple-double in a victory over Alabama State.
In the 2016-2017 season the Lady Tigers’ won a share of the regular season SWAC Championship for the first time since 2000 with a record of 14-4 in conference play and earned the #1 seed in the SWAC Tournament. Despite falling to Texas Southern in the SWAC Championship Game, Grambling made its first postseason appearance since 2000 earning a bid to the Women’s National Invitational Tournament (WNIT). In the first round of the tournament Grambling became the first SWAC team to win a postseason game, defeating SEC opponent Ole Miss 78-75. The Lady Tigers would fall in the second round of the WNIT to Tulane University. For the 2015-2016 season the Lady Tigers finished with a 13-5 conference record and made an appearance in the SWAC tournament semifinals.
As a former guard herself, Diaz, along with Coach David Pierre, has been instrumental in the overall development of guards Shakyla Hill and Jazmin Boyd since their arrival on campus. For the 2016-2017 season Hill earned 1st team All-SWAC and BOXTOROW 1st Team All-American honors, averaging 15.0 points per game along with an average of 7.8 rebounds per game. Hill also shot a conference best 48.2% from the field and averaged a conference best 4.2 assists per game and 3.0 steals per game. Boyd was selected as a 2nd Team All-SWAC pick for the 2016-2017 season, averaging 11.8 points per game and was tied for 3rd in the conference in three-pointers made (50). For the 2015-2016 season Shakyla was a BOXTOROW 2nd Team All-American and All-SWAC selection and Jazmin was selected as the SWAC Freshman of the Year.
Isayra Diaz attended the highly ranked Mohawk Valley Community College ending on a 55-6 record. As a team captain, She led MVCC to a 55-6 overall record, two undefeated conference championships, and an NJCAA Region 3 Championship her sophomore season. Isayra Diaz ranks 4th all-time in scoring with 916 points in her two seasons and 2nd for three-pointers made in a season with 83. During each of her two seasons, Isayra Diaz ranked in the top 3 among her teammates in points, rebounds, steals, assists, and blocks.
After two successful years at Mohawk Valley Community College she transferred to Shaw University. Her junior year she won the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association championship, Regional Championship and won the 2012 Division II National Championship. Shaw University made history for being the only HBCU and unranked team to win a National Championship. She finished off her senior year winning the CIAA Championship. During her tenure of playing basketball she was honored the Conference Player of the Year, Region Player of the Year, NJCAA Region 3 Tournament MVP, and NJCAA First Team All-American.
Isayra Diaz played two years of semi-pro with Winston Salem Lady Warcats, then transitioned into becoming a women’s basketball coach.
A native of Manhattan, New York, Diaz earned a Bachelor’s Degree 2014 in Exercise Science from Shaw University.
