The Rising Coaches Podcast

On this episode of the Rising Coaches Podcast, we’re joined by Tristan Spurlock, assistant coach at the University of Pennsylvania. Tristan began his basketball journey as a player at Virginia before finishing his career at UCF, experiences that still influence his approach to the game. He transitioned into coaching with stops at the University of Iowa and now Penn, learning within strong and established programs. In this episode we discuss the coaching styles that resonated most with him as a player, how young assistants can find their voice on a veteran staff, and the traits that make Coach Fr...

On this episode of the Rising Coaches Podcast, we’re joined by Jesse Bopp, the Associate Head Coach and Recruiting Coordinator at Florida International University. Coach Bopp has built a wide-ranging career holding various assistant roles at Florida, VCU, Chattanooga, New Mexico State, IMG Academy and time as a head coach at Vermont Academy. Now being at FIU, these experiences have given him a unique perspective across multiple levels of the game. In this episode we discuss what advice he would give young coaches trying to break into recruiting roles, how he evaluates upside versus immediate impact when recruiting an...

On today’s episode of the Rising Coaches Podcast, we’re welcoming back Glenn Farello, the Head Coach at Paul VI High School. We had such a great conversation the first time around that we had to split it into two parts. In Part Two, we continue diving into Coach Farello’s experiences, insights, and lessons from building one of the most consistent programs in the country.

On this episode of the Rising Coaches Podcast, we’re joined by Glenn Farello, the Head Coach at Paul VI High School and one of the most respected high school coaches in the country. Coach Farello spent seven seasons as an assistant at Eleanor Roosevelt High School before becoming a head coach and later leading the program at Paul VI. He’s been named Coach of the Year 17 times, ranked in the national top 25 for 18 seasons, and has helped develop over 90 college players and five NBA players. In this episode we discuss how to help quieter players communicate better on t...

On this episode of the Rising Coaches Podcast, we’re joined by Alexis Gholston, athletic trainer at the University of San Diego. Alexis has worked across both the collegiate and professional levels, with previous stops at Sacramento State, Kansas, Eastern Washington, Missouri, and the Indiana Pacers. In her current role at USD, she plays a key part in helping athletes stay healthy, available, and performing at a high level throughout the season. In this episode we discuss common misconceptions coaches have about load management, how sleep, nutrition, and stress show up physically in players, and how she would structure pr...

On this episode of the Rising Coaches Podcast, we’re joined by Colton Houston, Co-Founder of HD Intelligence. Colton spent nine years on staff at Alabama in various roles, gaining valuable experience inside a high-level program before transitioning into the analytics space. Today, he works with teams through HD Intelligence to help coaches better understand the game using data. In this episode we discuss which analytics Colton believes matter most for teams, common mistakes programs make when trying to use data, and how analytics can help coaches design more efficient practices. It’s a practical conversation with real takeaways for...

On this episode of the Rising Coaches Podcast, we’re joined by Jack Schoemann, Special Assistant to the Head Coach at Rice University. Jack worked his way up through roles at Cal State Bakersfield, SMU, and Rice, gaining valuable experience behind the scenes at each stop. Now at Rice, he plays an important role supporting the staff and helping keep the program running day to day. In this episode we discuss the responsibilities he handled as a GA, what the Special Assistant to the Head Coach role really looks like on a daily basis, and what young coaches should be...

On this episode of the Rising Coaches Podcast, we’re joined by Sid Crist, the Director of Basketball Operations at Winthrop University. Sid has worked his way up through the college basketball ranks with stops at Fairmont State, the University of Charleston, West Virginia Wesleyan, the University of Pikeville, and now Winthrop. Along the way, he’s gained experience in multiple assistant and operations roles, learning what it takes to add value wherever you are. In this episode we discuss how young assistants can create more opportunities early in their careers, how building and maintaining a strong network helps you...

On this episode of the Rising Coaches Podcast, we’re joined by Luke Toth, Director of Luke Toth Basketball. Luke is the former Head of the Cleveland Cavaliers Academy program and the founder of LTB, which he built from the ground up into a youth and AAU program serving over 600 athletes. His work has focused on player development, teaching the game the right way, and building trust with families. In this episode we discuss how he grew a basketball program from zero to hundreds of athletes, the drills and games he’s found most engaging for kids during summer camp...

On this episode of the Rising Coaches Podcast, we’re joined by Blake Cochran, head coach at Clarendon College. Coach Cochran worked his way up through assistant roles at McMurry University, Southwestern Assemblies of God, Fort Scott Community College, and Northwestern State before earning head coaching opportunities at Fort Scott and now Clarendon. His path reflects steady growth, added responsibility, and preparation at every stop. In this episode we discuss how he earned more responsibility as a young assistant, what he did to prepare for his first head coaching role, and a defensive takeaway built around three different levels of...

On this episode of the Rising Coaches Podcast, we’re joined by Patrick Gallagher, the Video Coordinator at the University of San Diego. Patrick’s journey is a great example of steady growth within one program, working his way up from student manager to staff assistant, graduate assistant, and now into his current role as the VC. He’s gained a strong understanding of the day-to-day details that keep a Division I program running smoothly. In this episode we discuss how he initially landed the student manager role at San Diego and advice for breaking in at your own school...

On this episode of the Rising Coaches Podcast, we’re joined by Eric Fawcett, a respected Team Strategy Consultant known for his deep work in offensive analysis and game planning. Eric currently serves as an assistant with the Edmonton Stingers while also contributing to the basketball community through Slapping Glass and his consulting work with numerous programs at the Division 1 level. His background in film study and offensive concepts has made him a trusted resource for coaches looking to better understand modern basketball strategy. In this episode we discuss how he approaches breaking down a team’s offensive identity on f...

On this episode of the Rising Coaches Podcast, we’re joined by Chris Kielsmeier, the current head coach of the Cleveland State women’s basketball program. Coach Kielsmeier’s path into the profession started as a student intern at Iowa State before earning his first assistant coaching role at Howard Payne. After one season as an assistant, he was promoted to head coach at Howard Payne, where he built the foundation of his coaching philosophy. He then made the jump to the Division II level at Wayne State College, continuing his growth as a head coach before taking over at Cle...

On this episode of the Rising Coaches Podcast, we’re joined by Norman Roberts, a coach with 37 years in the profession, a former Division 1 Head Coach and a member of the Assistant Coaches Hall of Fame. His journey began as a player at Queens before moving into coaching at Archbishop Molloy High School and assistant stops at Oral Roberts, Tulsa, Illinois, Kansas, and Florida. He served as a head coach at Queens and St. John’s, gaining valuable experience leading programs at the Division I level. In this episode we discuss his definition of a great assistant coach, how youn...

On this episode of the Rising Coaches Podcast, we’re joined by Isaac Wodajo, the Director of Recruiting and Scouting for the Wisconsin Badgers. He began his coaching career as a GA at Texas before moving to Wabash Valley College, eventually returning there as head coach. Wodajo then stepped into the Division I world as the Special Assistant to the Head Coach at Northern Kentucky before joining Wisconsin, where he now plays a major role in roster building, scouting, and navigating the fast-changing landscape of college basketball. In this episode we discuss how he stays organized and focused despite th...

On this episode of the Rising Coaches Podcast, we’re joined by Ryan Pool, a young coach whose path has taken him from high school to the college ranks. He started his journey training players with Driven Basketball before jumping into the AAU world with Pro Skills, then moving on to Strawberry Crest High School. He later stepped into college basketball as a manager at Miami University, gaining experience on the operations and video side before landing his current role as Video Coordinator at Arizona Christian University. In this episode we discuss a deep dive into the Video Coordinator ro...

On this episode of the Rising Coaches Podcast, we’re joined by Andrew Dakich, a former Big Ten guard whose playing career at Michigan and Ohio State helped shape his path into coaching. After transitioning from the court to the sidelines, Dakich took on support staff and assistant roles at Ohio State, Elon, and now Illinois State, where he’s continued to grow within the profession and build a reputation as a young coach with a sharp basketball mind. In this episode we discuss how young players and coaches can find their voice on a team, the unique coaching tend...

On this episode of the Rising Coaches Podcast, we’re joined by Michael Plank, a coach whose path has taken him from grassroots basketball to the Division I level. He started in the AAU circuit before moving into college coaching with stops at Willamette, Casper College, Portland State, CCSF, Washington State, and now where he stands as an assistant coach, the University of San Francisco. At USF, Plank plays a key role in recruiting and development, especially through his strong West Coast connections. In this episode we discuss: what the AAU world taught him early in his career, the th...

On this episode of the Rising Coaches Podcast, we’re joined by Christina Bernal. Coach Bernal has built her strength and conditioning career through impactful stops at some of the top athletic programs in the country. She competed as an athlete at the University of Maryland before moving into coaching roles at Florida State, Appalachian State, Texas State, Monmouth University, and now where she stands, the University of Pennsylvania. Her experience has allowed her to work with a wide range of athletes while developing a strong and adaptable training philosophy. Christina brings insight into athlete development, team culture, and bu...

On this episode of the Rising Coaches Podcast, we’re joined by Nate Dixon, a coach with 26 years of experience and one of the most well-traveled assistants in college basketball. After his playing career, he jumped right into coaching with early stops at Belmont Abbey and Queens University of Charlotte, before building a career that has taken him through programs such as Stetson, Florida, Louisiana-Monroe, New Orleans, Louisiana-Lafayette, Wyoming, UNC Charlotte, Lenoir-Rhyne, UMBC, Utah State, and Nevada. In this episode, we talk about how to decide if a school or staff is the right fit, the lessons he picked up...

On this episode of the Rising Coaches Podcast, we’re joined by Katie Benzan, the current Manager of Pro Scout for the Utah Jazz and The General Manager for the Salt Lake Cities Stars. Katie was one of the most efficient shooters of the modern college game. She began her career at Harvard as a three-time All-Ivy selection before transferring to Maryland and later playing with the Washington Mystics in the WNBA. After her playing career, she moved into basketball operations and development, with stops at Buckingham Browne and Nichols School and now with the Salt Lake City Stars an...

On this episode of the Rising Coaches Podcast, we’re joined by Coach Kian Boroujerdi, Assistant Coach at Canisius University. Kian’s path into college basketball is one built on persistence, humility, and a deep love for the game. He got his start as a practice player for the University of Texas Women’s Basketball team before moving into a managerial role at UNLV, where he began learning the inner workings of a college program. From there, he gained valuable hands-on experience at Pitt Bradford and later took on the Director of Basketball Operations role at the University at Albany...

On this episode of the Rising Coaches Podcast, we’re joined by Coach Chris Kreider, Associate Head Coach at Rice University. A Pennsylvania native, Coach Kreider’s basketball journey started as a player at Mansfield University, Grove City College, and Lebanon Valley College before jumping into the coaching world. His early career included time at the University of Great Falls, where he served as both an assistant and later head coach for the men’s and women’s programs. From there, he made stops at South Carolina Aiken, Georgia Tech, Georgia Southern, George Mason, VMI, Georgia State, and SMU before r...

On this episode of the Rising Coaches Podcast, we’re joined by Jabari Trotter, the Assistant Coach and Recruiting Coordinator for Dartmouth College. A Dartmouth alum, Trotter first made his mark as a standout player for the Big Green before taking his talents overseas to play professionally in Dublin, Ireland. During his time abroad, he also coached the U17 Girls Basketball team and led the Lady Haroldites of the Ireland Division 2 Women’s League. Upon returning to the U.S., he joined Phillips Exeter Academy, where he served in admissions and as an assistant coach, helping young athletes reach thei...

On this episode of the Rising Coaches Podcast, we are joined by Gary Redus, Assistant Coach for the LSU Women’s Basketball team. A former standout player at the University of South Alabama, Redus went on to play professionally across China, South America, and the Middle East before transitioning into coaching. His coaching journey began at West Georgia, followed by successful stints at Delta State, Vanderbilt, and SMU before joining the powerhouse staff at LSU under Coach Kim Mulkey. Known for his energy, relationship-building, and player development skills, Redus has made a strong impact at every level of the ga...

On this episode of the Rising Coaches Podcast, we are joined by Rob Blose, the Assistant Director of Video and Recruiting for the University of Pittsburgh. Blose has been an integral part of Pitt’s rise in the ACC, contributing to both the recruiting process and the behind-the-scenes video work that helps prepare the Panthers for success. Before joining Pitt, he built his foundation through various support and operational roles in college basketball, developing a reputation for his attention to detail and passion for the game. His work in film study, scouting, and player development has made him a ke...

On this episode of the Rising Coaches Podcast, we are joined by John Richardson, the Head Coach at Elizabeth City State University. A former player at Elizabeth City State, Richardson’s journey through basketball has come full circle, returning to lead the very program where his playing career began. His coaching path includes impactful stops at Woodside High School and T.C. Williams High School before moving into the college ranks as an assistant at Old Dominion University and Virginia Tech. Richardson later became a head coach at both Woodside High and now Elizabeth City State, where he’s know...

On this episode of the Rising Coaches Podcast, we are joined by Fred Quartlebaum, a longtime and well-respected Division I assistant coach. Coach Quartlebaum’s coaching career spans over three decades, featuring stops at some of the nation’s top programs including Kansas, St. John’s, North Carolina, Iowa State, and Navy. Known for his infectious energy and ability to build relationships, he played a key role in developing winning cultures and mentoring countless student-athletes throughout his journey. At Kansas, Quartlebaum helped the Jayhawks capture multiple Big 12 titles and compete on college basketball’s biggest stages including being on staff wh...

On this episode of the Rising Coaches Podcast, we are joined by Dwaine Osborne, Associate Head Coach at Youngstown State University. Osborne brings a wealth of experience and leadership to the Penguins’ program, having spent 19 years as a head coach and 29 years of coaching, across multiple levels of college basketball. His career includes successful stops at Glenville State, University of Charleston, and Texas–Permian Basin, where he consistently built competitive, high-character programs. Known for his player development expertise and commitment to culture, Osborne has guided numerous teams to conference championships and postseason appearances. His impact goes far beyond wins and...

On this episode of the Rising Coaches Podcast, we are joined by Marsha Frese, Assistant Coach for the Georgia Tech Women’s Basketball team. Frese has built an impressive career in coaching with stops at some of the nation’s top programs. She began her coaching journey at Ball State before moving on to Northern Illinois and then Minnesota, where she helped the Golden Gophers reach new heights. From there, she continued to make her mark with successful stints at Kansas, Illinois, and Maryland, contributing to championship-caliber teams and NCAA Tournament runs. Frese also earned the opportunity to serve as t...

On this episode of the Rising Coaches Podcast, we are joined by Janard Estell, the Director of Player Management and NIL at George Mason University. Estell has carved out an impressive career in college basketball, beginning his journey as a team manager before steadily working his way up through the ranks. Along the way, he gained valuable experience at multiple stops, including his time at Spring Hill College where he also suited up as a player. His ability to build relationships, connect with student-athletes, and understand the business side of basketball has allowed him to thrive in both operations...

On this episode of the Rising Coaches Podcast, we’re joined by Coach Dahntay Jones, assistant coach with the LA Clippers and a former NBA veteran. Jones played college basketball at Rutgers before transferring to Duke, where he helped lead the Blue Devils to a Final Four. He was selected 20th overall in the 2003 NBA Draft and went on to play 13 seasons in the league with teams including the Grizzlies, Nuggets, Pacers, Mavericks, Hawks, Cavaliers, and others. Known for his toughness and defensive mindset, he was part of the 2016 NBA Champion Cleveland Cavaliers. After retiring, Jones transitioned into coaching an...

On this episode of the Rising Coaches Podcast, we welcome Lloyd Pierce, Assistant Coach for the Indiana Pacers. Pierce brings a wealth of experience from nearly two decades in the NBA coaching ranks. He began his professional coaching journey with Santa Clara and then the Cleveland Cavaliers before joining the Golden State Warriors as a player development coach. He later spent five years with the Philadelphia 76ers, where he helped lay the foundation for their rise into one of the Eastern Conference’s top contenders. Pierce then earned the head coaching position with the Atlanta Hawks, where he guided a...

On this episode of the Rising Coaches Podcast, we welcome Ashleigh Lopez, Director of Player Development and Recruiting Operations for the Women’s Basketball program at Arizona State University. Lopez started her collegiate coaching career at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, where she built her foundation in player development and recruiting. She then moved on to Grand Canyon University, continuing to grow her skill set and reputation as a rising coach in Division I women’s basketball. From there, she joined Arizona State as a graduate assistant and quickly earned more responsibility, eventually rising into an assistant role...

On this episode of the Rising Coaches Podcast, we welcome Corey McCrae, Assistant Coach for Boston College Men’s Basketball. McCrae has built a strong reputation as a relentless recruiter and developer of talent, with deep ties to the grassroots basketball community. Before joining Boston College, he spent several years as an assistant coach at Delaware, where he helped elevate the program through his recruiting connections and player development. Prior to Delaware, His coaching career began in the grassroots ranks with powerhouse Dematha Catholic High School, where he coached and mentored some of the nation’s top players and gain...

On this episode of the Rising Coaches Podcast, we welcome Marcy Lanoue, Vice President of CSA Search and Consulting. Marcy brings a wealth of experience in both athletics and leadership development, making her one of the most respected voices in the search and consulting space. She previously served in athletic administration roles at the University of San Diego, where she helped grow the athletics brand and oversaw several key areas of external relations. Her career also includes significant experience in fundraising, branding, and program building that have directly impacted the success of the institutions she has served. Now with...

On this episode of the Rising Coaches Podcast, we welcome Ashley Prim, Assistant Coach for St. Joseph’s Women’s Basketball team. Ashley was a standout player at St. Joseph’s, where she had an impressive collegiate career before continuing to play professionally overseas in Puerto Rico, Bulgaria, Ireland, Mongolia and Dubai. After her playing days, she began her college coaching career at the Sacred Heart University, where she made an immediate impact developing guards and managing recruiting efforts. Prim then moved on to La Salle as an assistant coach, further strengthening her reputation for player development and program buildi...

On this episode of the Rising Coaches Podcast, we welcome Sheila Boykin, Assistant Coach for USF Women’s Basketball. Sheila starred as a player at LSU, where she was a key contributor in the SEC before continuing her career overseas professionally. After retiring from playing, she began her coaching journey at San Diego State University and later moved into an assistant coaching role at California State University Northridge, where she developed talent and strengthened recruiting efforts. She also made a stop at Loyola University of Chicago and now at the University of South Florida. Coach Boykin has become an in...

On this episode of the Rising Coaches Podcast, we welcome Ryan Pedon, Head Coach of Illinois State. Pedon began his career as a graduate assistant at Miami (OH) before moving into full-time roles at Kent State and Toledo. He then spent time at Illinois as Director of Basketball Operations, gaining valuable Big Ten experience. Pedon later served as an assistant at Butler, helping guide the Bulldogs to multiple NCAA Tournament appearances. From there, he joined Chris Holtmann’s staff at Ohio State, where he helped recruit nationally ranked classes and compete at the highest level. In 2022, Pedon was named he...

On this episode of the Rising Coaches Podcast, we welcome Nolan Wilson, Assistant Coach for TCU Women’s Basketball. Wilson began his career as a graduate assistant at Prairie View A&M while earning his MBA. He then moved to Rice University, serving as Recruiting Director and later Assistant Coach, helping the program to titles and a WNIT championship. From there, he worked with the Dallas Mavericks as a Player Development Assistant, training NBA talent and utilizing analytics. Wilson later joined Washington as Director of Analytics and Scouting before being promoted to Assistant Coach. At Washington, he contributed to to...