The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

HISTORY-making milestones have become commonplace for Yolett McPhee-McCuin over the course of her storied basketball career and the latest may give her the greatest opportunity to influence young lives.

McPhee-McCuin became the first Bahamian head coach in an NCAA Division I basketball programme when she was announced as the head women’s basketball coach of the Jacksonville Dolphins. She was presented to the Dolphins fanbase in a press conference late Friday afternoon in the main lobby of Swisher Gymnasium.

“This is an accomplishment that I hope will inspire young people and show that the hard work does indeed pay off,” she said, “I am truly honoured humbled and blessed to lead this programme.”

McPhee-McCuin, the daughter of legendary Bahamian coach Gladstone “Moon” McPhee and educator Daisy McPhee, will be the third head coach in the 14-year history of Jacksonville women’s basketball.

“There were many coaches, players, and people over the course of my life that have helped me to get to this moment, especially my parents Gladstone and Daisy McPhee,” she said.

“Thank you for instilling in me the necessary tools for this journey that we call life.”

The Dolphins finished 11-19 overall and ended the year with a 63-53 loss to Mercer in the A-Sun tournament.

“Today marks the turning point. This day marks a culture changing in JU women’s basketball. We will give 100 per cent, 100 per cent of the time. There will be no ceilings as we strive toward our accomplishments. “I truly believe that this is our time, success will be ours for the taking. My staff and I will give everything we have to the JU programme and know that my family and I intend to be here for quite some time.”

A nine-year coaching veteran, McPhee-McCuin takes on the role of head coach for the Dolphins after a three-year run at Clemson University where the National Women’s Basketball Insider named her one of the top assistants in the nation.

Her recruiting prowess has been nationally renowned and garnered a reputation as one of the most knowledgeable recruiters in the game today.

Prior to the 2012-13 season, McPhee-McCuin spearheaded the No. 16 ranked recruiting class in the country, landing five McDonalds All-American nominees for the Tigers.

At Clemson, she has become the first female Bahamian coach to sign a Bahamian player, Jonquel Jones, to a top NCAA Division I programme.

Prior to her time at Clemson, she was on staff at Pitt for two years where she helped guide the programme to a pair of post season appearances highlighted by a No. 14 national ranking and a Sweet 16 appearance in 2009.

In 2009, she worked as an assistant on the senior women’s Bahamian national team and was named the Caribbean Coach of the Year. She is expected to take over as head coach of the next women’s national basketball team.

She then developed the Back2Basics foundation, which helps the development of children through education and athletics. Additionally, she was involved in numerous community service projects at her other coaching stops.

Also noteworthy, in its second edition, the Ballin’ By Da Beach basketball clinic for girls used its exposure and growth in popularity to honour McPhee-McCuin when her image appeared on the camp’s t-shirts.

McPhee-McCuin received a bachelor’s degree in business management and administration from the University of Rhode Island Rams in 2004. She played two seasons at Miami-Dade Community College, before playing two seasons with the Rams. She appeared in 56 games for URI, and helped lead the Rams to the 2003 A-10 Championship game.

She also acted as recruiting coordinator and marketing manager at the University of Portland, where the team posted their best record in 10 years, and developed guard Katie Burris to all-conference player after averaging less than one point per game the previous season.

After starting her coaching career as the first ever assistant coach for Frank Phillips College in Texas, she went to work at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator. Here, she earned her master’s in physical education, recording a 4.0 GPA.

An active member of the coaching community, McPhee-McCuin is a member of the “So You Want to be a Coach “ programme through the WBCA, and she holds membership in the Black Coaches and Administrators Association.

She is married to Kelly McCuin, and the couple just welcomed their first child, Yasmine Lee, to their family in September.