Skip To Main Content
Skip To Main Content

University of Hawai'i at Manoa Athletics

Social Media Content Stream

Derrick Florence 2024 Head Shot

Derrick Florence

Derrick Florence is entering his fifth season as an assistant coach with the Rainbow Wahine basketball program. He focuses on post player development, defensive strategy and recruiting.

Prior to joining the UH coaching staff in 2021, he served eight years as an assistant coach at Sacramento State and one at Cal State LA (2012-13). He was also the girls basketball head coach at Centennial High School in Compton, Calif., for six seasons. 
 
COACHING EXPERIENCE
  • Hawai‘i, Assistant Coach (2022-Present)
  • Sacramento State, Assistant Coach (2013-2021)
  • Cal State LA, Assistant Coach (2012-2013)
 
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
  • Under his direction, the UH defense led the nation in 3-point percentage defense in the 2024-25 season. The Rainbow Wahine also ranked third nationally in field goal percentage defense and seventh in scoring defense.
  • UH held opponents to 53.1 points per game in 2024-25 and led the Big West in scoring defense for the first time since 2016. The average was the lowest in the Big West since the 2012-13 season (UC Santa Barbara, 52.9).
  • Helped coach Sacramento State to back-to-back 18-win seasons in 2013-14 and 2014-15.
  • Part of the coaching staff at Sac State that led the Hornets to the third round of the WNIT in 2015.
  • Serving as an assistant coach, helped lead Cal State LA to a 21-11 overall record in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) during the 2012-2013 campaign.
  • Founded the Changing Perceptions Together basketball organizations (C.P.T), which is a youth basketball organization targeted at inner city, underprivileged girls, particularly within the Compton Unified School District area.
 
HOMETOWN
  • Compton, Calif.
 
EDUCATION
  • Morehouse College, B.A., Sociology, 1997.
  • Harvard, M.A., Education Policy and Management, 2001.