The University of Mississippi Athletics
McPhee-McCuin Recaps Summer, Looks Ahead to 2018-19 Season
8/24/2018 | Women's Basketball
OXFORD, Miss. – The schedule is done, the roster is in place and on campus, and the stage is now set for the first season of Ole Miss women's basketball in the Yolett McPhee-McCuin era.
McPhee-McCuin was named the ninth head coach in program history on April 4 after turning around a Jacksonville program that had only won 20 games twice in its history prior to her arrival. Since, she and her staff have hit the ground running on making their mark on Ole Miss.
Her first point of business was putting together a staff – promoting All-American Rebel legend Armintie Herrington to assistant coach, as well as adding Chris Ayers and Tony Greene – but from that moment on, McPhee-McCuin and company have been hot on the recruiting trail.
Already a vivacious recruiter herself, McPhee-McCuin and her staff have been able to capitalize on a novelty factor with the new direction of the program and the national brand that Ole Miss possesses.
"Anytime there is a new program, there is a curiosity that's out there," McPhee-McCuin said. "Ole Miss is a national brand, so a lot of people recognize it already. There's not a place I go that I don't hear Hotty Toddy."
That attitude has helped with eight new additions for the 2018-19 season: graduate transfer guard Crystal Allen from UT-Arlington, transfer guard Deja Cage from DePaul (who will sit out the 2018-19 season), transfer guard Shannon Dozier from Odessa College, junior transfer Jhileiya Dunlap from Gulf Coast State, freshman forward Iyanla Kitchens, freshman forward Mahogany Matthews, transfer forward La'Karis Salter from Jacksonville and freshman guard Taylor Smith.
Those newcomers join returnees Bree Glover, Torri Lewis, Cecilia Muhate, Mimi Reid and Shandricka Sessom, and McPhee-McCuin says that the summer workouts have yielded strong results already.
"(There's been) a lot of openness and willingness to learn," McPhee-McCuin said. "Everyone is super excited about the opportunity to put Ole Miss on their chest and represent."
Learning the ins and outs of a new team has been a central part of the offseason workouts for the new coaching staff, with the intended goal of getting the team comfortable under the new philosophy of the program.
"It's a discovery phase for my staff and I, so we're learning as well," McPhee-McCuin said. "The plan is to allow them to play within their roles, but free within the assignments that I give them. More of a pro-style of basketball."
McPhee-McCuin has considerable experience in this kind of rapid change, though, as she has served as the head coach for the Bahamian national team since 2013.
"Being a national team coach and having to put together a training camp in two weeks and prepare to play FIBA basketball has really helped for moments like this right now," McPhee-McCuin said.
As far as what success will look like for her this upcoming season, McPhee-McCuin and her staff are keeping it simple:
"I think success for me would be putting out a product on the floor that our fans will be proud of. When you come and watch us play, you can see that there is a new era, and where it is going. You're going to see young women that enjoy playing the game. You're going to see young women that enjoy playing with each other and for each other."
Ole Miss opens the 2018-19 season with a home exhibition vs. LeMoyne-Owen on Nov. 2, followed by the regular season opener vs. Norfolk State on Nov. 6.
Follow the Rebels on Twitter at @OleMissWBB, Facebook at Ole Miss WBB on Instagram at Ole MissWBB and on Snapchat with the handle @OleMissWBB. You can also follow head coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin on Twitter at @YolettMcCuin
McPhee-McCuin was named the ninth head coach in program history on April 4 after turning around a Jacksonville program that had only won 20 games twice in its history prior to her arrival. Since, she and her staff have hit the ground running on making their mark on Ole Miss.
Her first point of business was putting together a staff – promoting All-American Rebel legend Armintie Herrington to assistant coach, as well as adding Chris Ayers and Tony Greene – but from that moment on, McPhee-McCuin and company have been hot on the recruiting trail.
Already a vivacious recruiter herself, McPhee-McCuin and her staff have been able to capitalize on a novelty factor with the new direction of the program and the national brand that Ole Miss possesses.
"Anytime there is a new program, there is a curiosity that's out there," McPhee-McCuin said. "Ole Miss is a national brand, so a lot of people recognize it already. There's not a place I go that I don't hear Hotty Toddy."
That attitude has helped with eight new additions for the 2018-19 season: graduate transfer guard Crystal Allen from UT-Arlington, transfer guard Deja Cage from DePaul (who will sit out the 2018-19 season), transfer guard Shannon Dozier from Odessa College, junior transfer Jhileiya Dunlap from Gulf Coast State, freshman forward Iyanla Kitchens, freshman forward Mahogany Matthews, transfer forward La'Karis Salter from Jacksonville and freshman guard Taylor Smith.
Those newcomers join returnees Bree Glover, Torri Lewis, Cecilia Muhate, Mimi Reid and Shandricka Sessom, and McPhee-McCuin says that the summer workouts have yielded strong results already.
"(There's been) a lot of openness and willingness to learn," McPhee-McCuin said. "Everyone is super excited about the opportunity to put Ole Miss on their chest and represent."
Learning the ins and outs of a new team has been a central part of the offseason workouts for the new coaching staff, with the intended goal of getting the team comfortable under the new philosophy of the program.
"It's a discovery phase for my staff and I, so we're learning as well," McPhee-McCuin said. "The plan is to allow them to play within their roles, but free within the assignments that I give them. More of a pro-style of basketball."
McPhee-McCuin has considerable experience in this kind of rapid change, though, as she has served as the head coach for the Bahamian national team since 2013.
"Being a national team coach and having to put together a training camp in two weeks and prepare to play FIBA basketball has really helped for moments like this right now," McPhee-McCuin said.
As far as what success will look like for her this upcoming season, McPhee-McCuin and her staff are keeping it simple:
"I think success for me would be putting out a product on the floor that our fans will be proud of. When you come and watch us play, you can see that there is a new era, and where it is going. You're going to see young women that enjoy playing the game. You're going to see young women that enjoy playing with each other and for each other."
Ole Miss opens the 2018-19 season with a home exhibition vs. LeMoyne-Owen on Nov. 2, followed by the regular season opener vs. Norfolk State on Nov. 6.
Follow the Rebels on Twitter at @OleMissWBB, Facebook at Ole Miss WBB on Instagram at Ole MissWBB and on Snapchat with the handle @OleMissWBB. You can also follow head coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin on Twitter at @YolettMcCuin
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