Gamechangers: A WBCA Podcast

In this episode, San José State Head Coach Jonas Chatterton shares real insight on hiring practices for both assistant and head coach roles, including what stands out in interviews and how to identify the right opportunity for your career. He also gets candid about the pressure of moving “one seat over,” what his first 100 days as a head coach looked like, and how his perspective has shifted when...

What does it take to build a powerhouse high school program — and sustain it year after year? On this episode, Sue Phillips, Head Coach at Archbishop Mitty High School, shares the blueprint behind developing elite talent and preparing players for the next level. She offers candid insights into what college recruiters should understand — and improve — when evaluating high school athletes, plus how...

In this episode, we’re joined by Sunny Smallwood, Associate Head Coach at Montana State University, for a candid conversation about the fulfillment and longevity of a career as an assistant coach. With more than three decades on the sidelines, Coach Smallwood shares why the assistant role is both valid and vital, how to effectively support a head coach, and how to adapt as responsibilities evolve...

In this episode, Oklahoma State assistant coach Mandi Carver shares what it takes to adjust on the fly in women’s basketball, reflecting on her transition from the mid-major level to a Power 4 program after spending years in one place. She discusses the evolving challenges of coaching highly visible, highly compensated athletes, navigating team culture in the social media era, and breaks down on-c...

On this episode, Host Anthony Turner is joined by Anthony Bozzella, Head Coach at Seton Hall University, for a deep dive into what it takes to build and sustain a successful women’s basketball program. Coach Bozzella shares his approach to program building from the ground up, including roster construction in the transfer portal and NIL/Rev Share era. The conversation also explores the importance o...

In this episode, we’re joined by Jenny Huth, assistant coach at Cal-Berkeley, as she reflects on her journey through the coaching ladder from assistant coach to head coach and back to the assistant role. Coach Huth shares key lessons learned from each perspective, discusses the evolving challenges facing assistant coaches today, and offers insight into how the recruiting landscape has changed sinc...

In this episode, Mike Neighbors, former Head Coach at the University of Arkansas and current Assistant Coach with the LA Sparks, shares his perspective on how college coaches and the WNBA can work together to continue growing the game. From player development to clinics, chalk talks, and knowledge sharing, the conversation highlights why alignment across levels matters for the future of women’s ba...

How do you take the reins of a championship-winning program and make it your own—without losing the culture that built it? In this episode, we’re joined by Drury University Head Coach Kaci Bailey to explore what it takes to sustain success during a coaching transition. She shares how she evaluates talent that fits her style, how she’s adjusting to the evolving recruiting landscape, and why develop...

In this episode, we sit down with Florida State's Bill Ferrara, Jr. to unlock the “cheat codes” to being an elite assistant coach in women’s basketball. From building trust with your head coach to mentoring student-athletes while balancing parenthood, Bill shares honest insights from his journey across multiple levels of the game. We also dive into the responsibility of being a male coaching in th...

In this episode of the WBCA GameChangers Podcast, we’re diving into everything you need to know about the upcoming 2025 WBCA Convention! WBCA Executive Director Danielle Donehew and Deputy Director Mary Ellen Gillespie join us to break down the schedule of events, key programming, and the business meeting agenda. Plus, we’re joined by Dr. Matthew Davidson, President of the Excellence with Integrit...

Big games require more than just skill, they demand the right mindset. In this episode, Columbia Head Coach Megan Griffith shares the pre-game rituals, strategies, and mental routines that help teams stay locked in and perform when the stakes are high. From visualization techniques to game-day habits, we dive into the psychology of preparation and how coaches can set their teams up for success. Wh...

In Episode 2 of Gamechangers, host Brian Rosario sits down with Karlie Burris, Assistant Coach at UNLV, for an in-depth conversation on player development. They dive into the strategies and philosophies that shape elite athletes, from skill-building to fostering a winning mindset. Karlie shares her approach to coaching, the importance of mentorship, and how UNLV is creating a culture of growth and...

In the debut episode of Gamechangers, host Brian Rosario sits down with Danielle Donehew, Executive Director of the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA), to reflect on the past decade of growth in the coaching profession. They discuss the programs designed to support and develop coaches, the importance of advocacy and representation in the game, challenges faced and the future goals for t...

Flaum (Tulane) and Villarreal (Georgia Tech) offer their insights on building relationships, managing and maneuvering COVID-19 and what’s it’s like to wear many hats for a women’s basketball program.

We continue our “Coaches on Coaches” series with head coaches AnnMarie Gilbert of Detroit Mercy and Molly Miller of Grand Canyon. Both coaches are entering their first season at the NCAA Division I level after successful stints at NCAA Division II programs. In this episode Gilbert and Miller offer insights into their transitions from DII to leading a DI program.

We continue our “Coaches on Coaches” series with assistant coaches Tasha Brown of UCLA and Danielle O’Banion of Minnesota. Brown and O’Banion discuss coaching over the past eight months including empowering student-athletes through civic engagement and how their programs have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Retired head coaches Harry Perretta of Villanova and former WBCA president Barbara Stevens of Bentley combine for total of 1,822 wins and today they are going to offer their insight on what they’ve learned through their 40+ years of coaching experience.

Shanteona Keys, WBCA manager of education, sits down to talk with Amanda Alexander, licensed psychologist at Stretch Performance Psychology. Alexander is a former Division I athlete and earned her doctorate in Counseling Psychology from the University of Tennessee. Her primary areas of expertise and interest are peak performance, stress management/reduction, burnout and more. Today she will talk a...

Shanteona Keys, WBCA manager of education, sits down with Lindsey Wilson, founder of Positive Performance Training. Wilson will discuss why coaches are the perfect people to deliver mindset training, even during a global pandemic, and why it is important to prioritize your mindset and self-care first, as a leader of your team.

Nikki McCray-Penson from Mississippi State and Yolett McPhee-McCuin from Ole Miss join the #WBCAPodcast to talk about their activism to get the Mississippi state flag changed. McCray-Penson is entering her first year with the Bulldogs after a successful three-year stint at Old Dominion. McPhee-McCuin is a 16-year coaching veteran and is entering her third season with the Rebels. Today they will of...

Shanteona Keys, WBCA manger of education, sits down with Carla Gilson, director of sports medicine at Georgia Tech, to discuss returning to campus during the COVID-19 pandemic. A 19-year veteran of the Georgia Tech community, Gilson has served as an athletic trainer with women’s basketball, football, tennis, track and field and cheerleading. In this podcast, Gilson gives her advice on how to keep...

Shanteona Keys, WBCA manager of education, sits down with the University of North Georgia women’s basketball staff led by Buffie Burson to talk about their in and out’s of recruiting. Burson has over 500 wins in her career and has guided the Nighthawks to 12 national tournament appearances. Today, Burson and her staff break down their specific recruiting responsibilities and overall recruiting app...

Shanteona Keys, WBCA manager of education, sits down with Oklahoma head coach Sherri Coale to continue our discussion on evaluating the year. Coale has been at the helm of the Sooners program for 24 seasons, earning six Big 12 titles and 19 NCAA tournament appearances. Coale offers her perspective on the evaluation process with your administration and staff and how this has evolved for her over th...

Shanteona Keys, WBCA manager of education, sits down with the newest member of the WBCA team, Deputy Director, Mary Ellen Gillespie, to talk about evaluating your staff. Gillespie is a former Division I athletics director and under her direction in 2019, the Hartford women’s basketball team earned a postseason berth for the first time since 2013. Gillespie goes in depth into the review process and...

Shanteona Keys, WBCA manager of education, sits down with Courtney Banghart, head coach at North Carolina to talk about interviewing. Banghart is in her first year at the helm of the tar heels and she’ll discuss the steps she took to complete her staff along with advice for growing one’s professional network.