During Women's Empowerment Month, the Warriors recognize the women within their basketball operations department who have made a tremendous impact on the team behind the scenes.
Meet Toral Desai, a Head Athletic Trainer and Physical Therapist for the Santa Cruz Warriors.
As a first-generation Indian college graduate, Toral Desai attended the University of Pacific, where she studied sports science. Desai then got her athletic training degree, which she used to work at UCLA for a couple of years before coming to Santa Cruz. Her day-to-day responsibilities with the G-League team include conducting physicals, handling practice and game injuries and rehab/preventative rehab. Seeing few women in the industry, Desai hoped she would one day get her opportunity and was elated for it to happen with the home team she grew up rooting for.
Santa Cruz Warriors Head Athletic Trainer Toral Desai | Women's Empowerment Month
“Having the opportunity to work for the team I grew up watching all my life, I never thought I’d get to, but it’s been incredible,” Desai said. "Then, my first year, getting a ring with them was something I'd never imagined."