Golden State Valkyries head coach Natalie Nakase was named the WNBA Coach of the Month for August, the league announced Wednesday.

The Valkyries went a league-best 10-2 (.833) during the month of August, including 6-1on the road. Golden State held its opponents to 72.0 points per game as well as a 40.1 field goal percentage, both of which led the league, and the team’s +/- of +11.8 in August was also the best in the WNBA. Golden State began the month with a six-game win streak which was highlighted by a playoff-clinching win over Dallas on the 17^th. On the 24^th, Golden State held the first-place Lynx to a season-low 66 points and then limited the New York Liberty to a season-low 60 points three days later. The Valkyries, who currently sit in second place in the WNBA standings with a 29-11 record, are carrying a four-game winning streak into the month of September.

The best defensive team in the league, Golden State leads the WNBA in opponent points per game (75.4), defensive rating (99.8), opponent field goal percentage (41.8), opponent points in the paint (31.4), and have held teams to 70 points or fewer in a league-leading 14 games this season. Five Valkyries players rank top 10 in the WNBA in defensive NET points, led by No. 1 Gabby Williams (25), No. 2 Veronica Burton (20), No. 7 Kiah Stokes (12), No. 8 Kayla Thornton (11), and No. 9 Cecila Zandalasini (10).

This is Nakase’s second career Coach of the Month award after earning the honor in June last season. Golden State is back in action on Friday, September 18 against Portland, tipping off at 7 p.m. at Chase Center. The Valkyries host Seattle at 6 p.m. in their regular-season home finale on Saturday, September 19, with tickets available at valkyries.com/schedule.