The Jump Around with Blake DuDonis

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

On the last day of Autism Awareness Month, LSU assistant women's basketball coach Aaron Kallhoff joins me in part 1 of a 2 part mini-series on women's basketball coaches who have a child with autism. We talk about how his son, Caylix, first was diagnosed with autism and the whole family's journey through that. We also talk about some of the misconceptions about autism, some of the positives that have come from it, and how far Caylix has come.

Fresh off a 28-3 season and an America East championship (and a new contract extension), Stony Brook head coach Carolina McCombs joined me on the pod. We talked about her journey as a standout player for Youngstown State to college coach, and all the people she worked for before taking over the Seawolves. We also talked about her team's historic season that was cut short.

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.

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.

Kent State head coach Todd Starkey joined me to talk all about his journey from an NAIA player and coach, to building a D2 powerhouse, to being an assistant in the Big Ten, to now building a program in arguably the best mid-major conference in the country. We also share some old stories, talk about how he's navigating the current times, and how being the first choice isn't the most important thing.

Rider head coach Lynn Milligan joins me to talk about building her alma mater into one of the top teams in the MAAC and what it took to get there. We also discuss her college career as a duel athlete, how her stops as an assistant prepared her for her current position, what culture means to her, and how her team has dealt with the sudden end to their season.

After going 25-6 (19-1) and making it to the Big Sky Conference tournament championship game, Montana State saw their season come to a sudden stop due to the coronavirus. I talk to head coach Tricia Binford about a special season having such a strange end. We also discuss her standout career at Boise State as a student-athlete, her time playing in the WNBA and in Australia, how they came about having NBA legend John Stockton on their coaching staff for a season, and what simple thing she always messes up.

Fresh off another 20+ win season, Fordham head coach Stephanie Gaitley joined me on the pod. We talk all about her journey from playing at Villanova under Harry Perretta to becoming a head coach at 25-years-old. Then we go into how she's been able to build so many programs at the mid-major level so many times. We also discuss a great story involving the recruitment of Rebecca Lobo, how her three sons have followed in her footsteps, and a story about my wife.

Samford head coach Carley Kuhns joins me to talk all about her team's incredible season, her first at the school. After winning 10 games a season ago, this season the Bulldogs won 18 games, split the regular season SOCON title, and won the conference tournament. We also talk about her time as a standout D2 player and her first head coaching job at her alma mater. We also discuss her fear of needles, her love of a certain TV series, and how her team handled not getting the chance to play in the NCAA tournament.

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.

After turning D3 Tufts into a national powerhouse during a 17-year run as it's head coach, former UConn great Carla Berube took over a thriving Princeton program and has them primed for a postseason run. We talk about her time at UConn, why D3 was the route she chose, and why Princeton was the move for her. We also talk about what makes her programs so good and why the Tigers are humming along so well.

After leading Dayton to their 3rd A-10 regular-season title in four seasons, head coach Shauna Green joined me on the pod to talk about her team's success. We also dive into her journey from a standout at the college player, to starting her coaching career at the D3 level, all the way to now. We also laugh about Northwestern head coach Joe McKeown, who is just the best.

After leading Merrimack College to 20 wins in their first season as a D1 program, head coach Monique LeBlanc joined the pod. We talk about her journey as a player at Bucknell to a young head coach of a, then, D2 program and how she transformed it from a struggling program into a contender. We also discuss her growth as a coach and person since her arrival at the Massachusetts based school in 2011, how they we able to be so good in their 1st D1 season, plus we share some stories from our time coaching together.

In today's episode, I talk with Bethune Cookman head coach Vanessa Blair-Lewis, whose journey has been an accelerated one. After a stellar playing career at Mount St. Mary's, she served two years as an assistant coach there before getting the job handed to her on the cusp of the season beginning at 25-years-old. All she did with that was become the first person in NEC history to win both the Player of the Year and Coach of the Year awards. She won 120 games at the Mount then undertook a new challenge at Bethune Cookman where she took a last place team and turned them into a MEAC powerhouse. We also discuss her family, including her NBA official husband and ballhog 6-year-old son, race in coaching, and much more.

We back! After taking off a few months for coaching purposes, The Jump Around returns as Marquette head coach Megan Duffy joins me today. We talk about her rise from a standout at Notre Dame to a super successful coach in the college ranks. Duffy takes use through her journey as an assistant at three different schools to a head coach who has managed to win 20+ games all three years she has been at the helm. We also discuss how all these stops has molded her, what most surprised her once she became a head coach, and how a Marquette team picked to finish 9th in the Big East is sitting in 2nd place.

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.

UNC-Chapel Hill head coach Courtney Banghart joins me to talk all about her journey from NCAA college soccer prospect to head women's basketball coach of one of the most prestigious colleges in the country. We talk about what led her to Dartmouth as an athlete, then back as a coach. Then, after winning just seven games in year one at Princeton, how she turned the Tigers into a national power. We also had some fun talking about food, movies, concerts and more.

Once the #1 recruit in the country coming out of high school, Jackie Gemelos tore her ACL in the last game of her prep career. This turned out to be one of five ACL injuries she would go through, significantly shortening her career at USC and almost ending her professional career. Instead of packing it in, however, Gemelos kept working and eventually got drafted in the 3rd round of the WNBA draft. Though cut before the season started, she made her WNBA debut in 2015 with the Chicago style and has put together an impressive overseas resume. We talk all about her story, her new clothing line, her tattoos, plus a whole lot more. It's hard not to root for Jackie.

Just days removed from the national championship game, SW Oklahoma State head coach Kelsi Musick joins me to talk about her team's incredible season. We talk about her career journey and the difficulties of winning just three games in her first season as a head coach. Then, we talk through what led them to win the conference tournament in year three and now, in her 10th season, make it all the way to the national championship game.

Fresh off the program's second national championship in four years, Lubbock Christian head coach Steve Gomez joined me on the the pod. We discuss how being the child of an Air Force vet helped mold him (he lived in Indiana, South Dakota, and Germany, among other places) and how he stumbled into his current job. Also discussed was his team's undefeated run in 2015-'16 and how UConn played a part in it. Plus, what he was he thinking down 3 with three seconds left in OT in this year's championship?

James Madison head coach Sean O'Regan joins me two days before his team's big WNIT Final Four matchup. We talk about what makes JMU so special that after graduating from there, he has spent 12 years there as an assistant and head coach. We talk about the most difficult things he faced when taking over the head coaching spot from Kenny Brooks, how he has grown the most, and what it felt like to take down his former boss in the WNIT this season.

While everyone waits for the D1 Sweet Sixteen to play out, there is already a NCAA champion at the D3 level, and I talk to their head coach. Jeff Hans, head coach of Thomas More University joined me to talk about his program's second national championship. We discuss all that went into the season, including being an independent team, something that forced them to travel all across the country and play, at times, 5 games in 7 days. Despite that, the team went 33-0 to win the whole thing.

Aaron Roussell, head coach of the 12-seed Bucknell Bison, joined me to talk about his program as they head to their 2nd NCAA tournament under his guidance. We discuss his coaching journey and how a move to D1 was never in the plans but led him to take the Bucknell job without his wife ever seeing the place. We also talk about the building of the program that has led to his current group of seniors winning 100 games in their career. I also get him to share the story of going recruiting the same day his third child was born, plus we preview the matchup with Florida State.

NCAA tournament-bound for the fourth straight year as a program and second straight year under him, Belmont head coach Bart Brooks joins me to talk all about his stellar team. We talk about his introduction to the coaching side of the game, and how working camps led to him working for the legendary Doug Bruno for 11 years. Also, what led him to Belmont, and how he had to overcome a lot of self-doubts once he was there. We also talk about him being a champion dairy goat showman in middle school. Yes, for real.

Boise State head coach Gordy Presnell joined me to talk about his team's third straight trip to the NCAA tournament. We discuss the uniqueness of having a 30+ year career at only two schools, how his team approaches goal setting, and his side job when he first started coaching. *Note: due to an unfortunate technical issue, about half of the conversation got cut off. I felt the material that still made it was worth sharing, but sincere apologies for the issue that is out of my control.

Abilene Christian head coach Julie Goodenough joins me to talk about her coaching journey. Starting at the NAIA level, Coach went on to lead a program to four D3 tournaments, then took over at Oklahoma State. We discuss what went wrong in her three seasons there and how it helped her be successful down the road. After seven seasons at Charleston Southern, she took the Abilene Christian job and helped them transition to the D1 level and now has them on the brink of making the NCAA tournament for the first time ever.

New Mexico State head coach Brook Atkinson joined me to talk about her team's stellar season as they try to return to the NCAA tournament after making the WNIT last season. We discuss how she has grown from year one as the head coach to now in year two, the strangeness that is the WAC, and how her team has continued to improve as the season has gone along.

As we continue our "Upset" series, coaches of programs who could break your bracket, Drexel head coach Denise Dillion joined me. We talk all about her 16 seasons at the Philly based school and how she turned a once dormant program into a consistent force atop the CAA. We also discuss her playing career at Villanova and how an injury led her into coaching. We also discuss whistling.

UT-Arlington head coach Krista Gerlich joined me to talk about how she has taken her program to levels it's never been before. We also talked about her playing career at Texas Tech that finished with a national championship her senior year and, eventually, her jersey hanging in the rafters. We also talk about how she has grown as a head coach since starting at the D2 level, how difficult her first season at UTA was when they only won 4 games, and the process of missing out on their biggest recruit: her daughter.

American head coach Megan Gebbia joined me today to talk about her program in another episode of our "Upset" series, a focus on teams that could bust your bracket come NCAA tournament time. We talk about her 10 years at Marist as an associate head coach and all she learned during her time there, plus what made her take the leap and accept the American job. We also discuss her immediate success with the team before a really difficult third season. After that difficult year three, the team has blossomed again, something Coach gives credit to that season for. We also talk about the really bizarre way she hurt her ankle, poison ivy, and a raccoon in her garage.

Quinnipiac head coach Tricia Fabbri joins me for the third episode of the "Upset" series. Nearing the end of her 23rd season at Quinnipiac, we talk all about her playing career at Fairfield before entering the coaching ranks. We also discuss that while the program is humming along now, it wasn't always that way, and she nearly quit the job. We also discussed the program's run to the Sweet Sixteen two seasons ago and how she isn't satisfied with just making it that far anymore.

The second episode in our "Upset" series, former Lady Vol great and current head coach at Missouri State Kellie Harper joined me

The first episode of our "Upset" series where I highlight programs that could bust some brackets come NCAA tournament time, Lamar University head coach Robin Harmony joined me this morning. A Miami (FL) Hall of Famer herself as a player, Harmony spent over 18 years coaching in Coral Gables before starting an NAIA program from scratch. After building a dynasty there, she took her first D1 head coaching job at Lamar and has the team on the brink of a tournament birth. We talk about her background, how Lamar has gotten so good, plus a great story about one of her Miami (FL) talking big trash (and backing it up).

High Point University head coach DeUnna Hendrix joined me on the pod today. We talked about her high school HOF career, how she has grown as a head coach over her seven years in charge of the Panthers, and why she has been able to be successful. We also talk about her missing a game this year to go to her mom's own Hall of Fame ceremony, her love of Air Fryers, and how she use to charge neighborhood kids to come to her house and watch her perform basketball moves.

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.

Towson head coach Diane Richardson joins me to talk all about her interesting journey. We discuss her college career, specifically her qualifying for the 1980 US Track and Field Olympic team but not getting to compete due to the US protesting the USSR hosted games. We also talk about her banking career and why she eventually sold her company to get into coaching. We also go over her relationship with WNBA star Jonquel Jones and what circumstances led to her becoming Jones' legal guardian. We then discuss her Towson program who is having one of it's best seasons in recent history.

Wright State head coach Katrina Merriweather joined me today to talk all about her program, one of the best mid-major programs in the country. We discuss her playing career at Cincinnati and how she always wanted to be a coach and the lessons she learned during her coaching career as an assistant, including the violation of some NCAA rules that led to a pause in her colligate coaching career. We also talk about what brought her to Wright State and how she has helped the team continue to excel after she moved from an assistant to the head coach.

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.

A first-year head coach at her alma mater, Boston University head coach Marisa Moseley joined me to on the pod. We talk about her getting into coaching after it wasn't her original goal, but how she ended up as an assistant coach at UConn just a few years later. We discuss the success she had as a Huskie and how that has translated to BU. We also discuss the highs and lows of being a head coach for the first time, plus how she has adjusted to the different level she is now coaching on.

Houston head coach Ronald Hughey took some time out to talk to me about his story and his program on an early Sunday morning. We talk about his humble upbringings and how that affected the steps he took in his career, plus what he has learned from working for C. Vivian Stringer, Gail Goestenkors, and Sue Semrau. Hughey then tells me about his Houston program and what gave him the confidence that they would be successful, even after going 6-24 in his first two seasons. We also get into plenty more, all thanks to some uncommon honesty from him.

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.