Dominican announced that Antonio Rivas has been promoted to the role of head women's basketball coach after serving as an assistant coach with the program the last three seasons.
Rivas joined the Stars program in the 2017-18 season and has been instrumental in the Stars' turnaround resulting in three straight winning seasons, including back-to-back appearances in the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference tournament semifinals the past two seasons.
He replaces Amanda Parker, who left the program this past offseason. She was hired in September as an assistant coach at Division II Hillsdale, under former Benedictine coach Charlie Averkamp. Parker oversaw a period of great success for the Stars, who went 36-18 overall in two seasons.
"I want to thank Erick Baumann and the entire athletic department for entrusting me with this program. I have been extremely fortunate these last few seasons to coach some amazing student athletes while helping this program achieve a new level of success. What an amazing opportunity."
In addition to his duties with women's basketball, Rivas also serves as the assistant sports information director and head men's golf coach. Additionally, during the 2019-20 season, Rivas spent the season on the men's basketball coaching staff helping them to one of the best turnarounds in the country, posting eight more wins than the program had the previous season.
A native of Hampshire, Illinois, Rivas began his coaching career during his junior year of high school at Hampshire High School, helping to coach the girls' basketball team under varsity head coach Ed Haugens. During his two years, Rivas helped the varsity team to a regional championship.
Aside from his high school and college coaching career, Rivas has been a head coach at the AAU and travel circuit level, serving as the 17U head coach for the Illinois Storm in Romeoville, Illinois. His teams were successful competing in four straight AYBT national championship games, winning it all in the summer of 2016.