Delaware head coach Natasha Adair joins me to talk about her journey, from the DMV to Florida all the way to Delaware. She shares about the coaches who impacted her the most, her former players and what their success means to her, and how she took Delaware to the top of the CAA.

Delaware head coach Natasha Adair

UC Irvine head coach Tamara Inoue joins me and shares her story from her time as a prep and college baller in California and how that took her to Australia and the eventual start to her coaching career.

UC Irvine Head Coach Tamara Inoue

We're back! After a long, dormant period, The Jump Around returns with one of the best young coaches in the country. Sam Purcell just wrapped up season one at Mississippi State and he takes us through his journey to get to where he is. He also shares the high's and low's of year one, tells us what caught him by surprise, and what he thinks is in store in the future.

Sam Purcell- Mississippi State HC

Illinois State HC Kristen Gillespie joins me to talk about her journey. From a family of coaches, Coach Gillespie played for the legendary Kay Yow at NC State, and has coached at the high school, D3, D2, and D1 levels. She shares all about her journey, her family, her highs and lows, and the feeling once she and the Redbirds reached the top.

Kristen Gillespie - Illinois State HC

I speak with D2 women's basketball national championship head coach Dave Slifer about his team's run to the title. We also discuss his journey to Central Missouri, how his wife came to be his assistant and how I called him old before the interview.

Dave Slifer, Central Missouri

I talk with the new head coach of the women's basketball program at St. Peter's, Marc Mitchell, about his journey from the HS to D3 to D1. We discuss his upbringing, his success at the D3 level and what challenges are ahead for him.

Marc Mitchell - Saint Peter's

Former Utah WBB player Emily Potter talks to me about her decision to write an article for her school newspaper that detailed her battle with depression. We talk about what it took to get to that point, her low points in that fight and what her life has been like since the article.

We also discuss her food instagram, her homemade cake pops and her love of Christmas.

Emily Potter

I chat with Florida Atlantic head coach Jim Jabir about his long (and interesting) career. Jabir took Dayton to the Elite Eight in 2015 and was even leading UConn at halftime of that game. He has had a ton of success but has had some failures too. We talk about how those changed him and impact his coaching today.

We also talk about his time coaching in Europe, his love of reading and we have a really good talk about the best pizza in New York.

Jim Jabir - FAU

Current members of the Dallas Wings and former South Carolina Gamecocks Kaela Davis and Allisha Gray join me before their game in Minnesota. We talk about their national championship run and their time with the Wings. We also discuss who Gamecock nation loves more: Dawn Staley or her dog, Champ.

Kaela Davis And Allisha Gray

Following a career night where she scored 38 points, Kayla McBride sits down with me to discuss the game. She also talks about her maturity since coming into the league, being honored at Notre Dame, the transition from San Antonio to Las Vegas, her passion for telling the stories of other players in the WNBA and much more.

Kayla McBride

Los Angles Sparks guard Sydney Wiese calls in to chat about her Final Four run at Oregon State, the difficult transition from college to the WNBA and about teammate Essence Carson's music career. She also tells a story about almost getting struck by lightning.

Sydney Wiese

TCU women's basketball head coach and Dallas Wings lead TV analyst Raegan Pebley joins me to discuss both of her basketball roles. 

We talked about the staff she was on at Colorado State with Tom Collen, Nicki Collen, Curt Miller and Becky Hammon, her appointment as a 26-year-old head coach at Utah State and how that led her here. Plus, how she got into TV and all that she has learned in that role.

TCU Head Coach Raegan Pebley

Joni Taylor, head coach of the Georgia Bulldogs, becomes the first two time guest on The Jump Around! We talk about her background a bit, what got her into college coaching and why Athens, Georgia is such a special place.

We also talk about her team's successful run last season that ended much earlier than they expected it to. What led to that and what will need to happen this season to make it last longer were both discussed as well.

Georgia head coach Joni Taylor

Joining me for this episode is Utah head coach Lynne Roberts. We discussed her super competitive nature and how she once missed spring workouts during her playing career due to injury but still played in an intramural soccer game. The outcome wasn't great.

We also talk about her career as a coach in which she has been tasked with rebuilding three programs and if that was something she ever expected. We also talk about her team this season and what their expectations are.

Utah head coach Lynne Roberts

With the college season beginning today (!!), I was joined by UCLA head coach Cori Close. We talked about her team's breakthrough to the Elite Eight last season and what her expectations are after losing a great senior class.

We also get into Cori's faith and how that drives her coaching, plus a deep talk about her purpose as a coach.

UCLA head coach Cori Close

ESPN analyst and Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer Rebecca Lobo, Sports Illustrated writer and former National Sportswriter of the Year (and author) Steve Rushin, and Washington Mystics assistant coach Eric Thibault all joined me to talk about... Thanksgiving.

We had a Thanksgiving draft. How ridiculous.

Thanksgiving Draft with Rebecca Lobo, Steve Rushin and Eric Thibault

Missy Tiber, head coach of the University of North Alabama, joins me to talk about her team's first season at the D1 level and what it's been like since their upset of Vanderbilt in their first game. We also discuss her journey to North Alabama and how the success (and failures) in her career have led her to this point. 

We also talk about her team's 5-0 start and what the expectations are moving forward.

North Alabama head coach Missy Tiber

Today I was joined by Penn head coach Mike McLaughlin, the fastest coach to win 400 games in NCAA history (459 games). 

We talk about his time at Holy Family University and how he turned Penn into one of the best mid-major’s in the country. We also discuss his time as a member of the Washington Generals, the hapless opponents of the Harlem Globetrotters. 

Also discussed was his 57% career three-point shooting as a player, the challenges of the Ivy League, and what has been his hardest time as a coach.

Penn head coach Mike McLaughlin

Dawn Plitzuweit, head coach of the University of South Dakota, joined me after a thrilling 2OT win over archrival South Dakota State. We discussed that game plus the incredible success that South Dakota has had as a whole.

Coach also called me out for my intro music to my pod, told me the name of their family dog (which shows how competitive she is), and how she has grown in her career.

South Dakota head coach Dawn Plitzuweit

The leader of a program that hasn’t lost a conference game since 2016, Drake head coach Jennie Baranczyk joined me on the pod today.

We discuss her successful Drake program and what it took to get them to the level they are playing at today, including her first signee and the impact she made.

We also talked about the advice she got from a coaching legend on an airplane at the very beginning of her coaching career, what it’s like having your name thrown out there every time a bigger job opens up, and what it’s like having a president that comes to your games and yells just as loud as everyone else.

Drake head coach Jennie Baranczyk

Appalachian State head coach Angel Elderkin joined me in one of the more emotional episodes to date.

We discuss her coaching journey, from being an assistant to stepping back to being a GA for Pat Summitt, all leading to her head coaching job at App State.

After her second season at App, Angel was diagnosed with cancer, a topic we really dove deep into. She told me about her treatment and how she made it through, but also shared about the dark times of her recovery.

We also talk about her much improved Mountaineer squad and what they need to do as they push down the final stretch of the regular season.

Appalachian State head coach Angel Elderkin

Cincinnati head coach Michelle Clark-Heard joined me on the pod to talk about her stellar coaching career. 

She tells me about her time as a player at Western Kentucky and the high levels of success her team had, and what eventually got her into college coaching after starting a career outside of sports.

We then talk about the programs she built at Kentucky State and Western Kentucky and what convinced her to leave both when she did. 

Now with Cincinnati on the brink of their first 20 win season in over 15 years, Coach told me all about why she believes in Cincinnati and how they plan on continuing to be successful. I also get her to tell me a funny Jeff Walz story.

Cincinnati head coach Michelle Clark-Heard

Hartford head coach Morgan Valley joins me to tell me all about her journey as a multi-sport high school athlete in Vermont, to winning three national championships at UConn, to a coaching career that moved her all over the country.

We discuss her successes, struggles, and talk about how she nearly drowned in a triathlon last weekend.

Hartford HC Morgan Valley

Samford head coach Carley Kuhns joins me on the pod to talk all about her team's incredible first season, going from 10 wins last year to 18 wins and a conference championship this year.

We talk about her journey from a standout player at the D2 level and successful run as a head coach at her alma mater.

We also discuss her fear of needles, her love of a certain TV show, and how her team handled missing out on playing in the NCAA tournament.

Samford head coach Carley Kuhns

After taking seven years away from coaching, Nell Fortner took over a Georgia Tech program and exceeded all expectations in year one. 

The former Team USA gold medal-winning head coach and I discuss her coaching career that saw her learn from some of the legends of our game, to being burnt out and taking the TV route, to the job that made sense.

We also discuss her love of music, her pets, and much more.

Georgia Tech head coach Nell Fortner

Boston College head coach Joanna Bernabei-McNamee (Coach Mac) joined me today in a really episode.

We talked all about her team's 20 win season and 4th place finish in the ACC, their best finish since 2004-05 and how last season's end was a jumping off point for them.

We also discuss her very long, winding, interesting journey, from playing D2, to winning a national championship as an assistant, to getting out of coaching for four years, to... well, you should just listen to her tell it.

Boston College head coach Joanna Bernabei-McNamee

In part 2 of a 2 part series on the last day of Autism Awareness Month, the University of Albany head coach Colleen Mullen joins me and shares her story.

After having a daughter, Colleen and her wife, Lauren, decided to have one more child and ended up with twin boys. As time went on, they came to discover that they both were on the spectrum.

Colleen graciously shares their story from start to finish.

Autism Awareness Month Part 2

Welcome back! After a few months away, we back!

Joining me today is the new head women's basketball coach at UNC-Asheville, Honey Brown. Honey had been an assistant and associate head coach at UNCA for the past eight seasons before taking the top spot this spring.

We discuss her journey through coaching, her rapping her version of Kurtis Blow, why the word "loyalty" comes up for her so often, and her love of Diet Coke.

UNC - A Head Coach Honey Brown

New UNLV head coach Lindy La Rocque joined me on the pod to talk all about her new gig and her journey to get there.

After an incredible playing career at Stanford, La Rocque went on to serve on staff at Oklahoma, Belmont, and Stanford before returning to her hometown of Las Vegas as the head coach of UNLV.

We talk all about that journey, her enjoyment of golf, and a Youtube clip that she is embarrassed by but I think is awesome.

UNLV head coach Lindy La Rocque

Today I'm joined by St. Louis University head coach Lisa Stone, who has had a storied coaching career.

Starting her career as a 22-year-old D3 head coach, Lisa has gone from little Cornell College to UW-Eau Claire to Drake to Wisconsin and now to St. Louis. She shares all about her journey and the lessons learned in between.

St. Louis University head coach Lisa Stone

Former Boston College and University of Denver head coach Erik Johnson joins me to tell all about his interesting story.

From a tall practice player to the head coach of one of the most prestigious schools in the country, Erik shares all about how he got
to where he did and how. Included are some chances meetings, some great successes, as well as a great personal tragedy.

Former Boston College head coach Erik Johnson

Former Wisconsin head coach and Stanford student-athlete Bobbie Kelsey joins me on the pod to talk about her story to Stanford, around the country, and back to Stanford again.

We discuss her time as head coach at Wisconsin and everything she's done since then.

Then, we get into a long dive into the current climate in America.

Former Wisconsin head coach Bobbie Kelsey

Current assistant women's basketball coach Blake DuDonis talks with people from all over the women's basketball world. Backgrounds get dove into, laughs are had, and hopefully, you'll learn something you didn't know before listening.

Popular tracks by The Jump Around with Blake DuDonis