The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

AFTER getting off to a slow start in her inaugural season at the helm, Yolett McPhee-McCuin has managed to right the ship for her Jacksonville Dolphins women’s basketball programme.

The Thanksgiving holiday was kind to the Dolphins as they recovered from an 0-2 start with a two-game winning streak to even their win-loss record.

The first win of the season for the Dolphins came November 24 in a 21- point blowout of Georgia Southern.

Senior centre Madison Scott led the way with 15 points in the 79-58 win at home in Swisher Gymnasium.

“This win is the beginning of something I dreamt of as a little kid. I’m not going to get too high about a win or too low about a loss but, now that I’ve tasted a win I’m like the girls and just want more,” McPhee-McCuin said. “The girls have been working extremely hard. The coaching staff has been reiterating to them to just trust what we are trying to do. Kudos to them for really stepping up and embracing the game plan.”

They followed with their first road win of the season November 30 against Troy, 82-67.

A stingy defensive effort, which limited the home team to 30 per cent shooting from the field and a balanced scoring effort, propelled the Dolphins to the win.

“Anytime you can win a game on the road it brings the team together and promotes camaraderie,” said McPhee-McCuin. “The girls played their hearts out and left it all on the floor. As a coach, that is all that you can ask for. We look forward to growing everyday-game-by-game.”

Jade Cargill led Jacksonville with 18 points and 10 rebounds while Scott finished with 15 points and 14 rebounds.

The Dolphins will look to extend their winning streak to three 7pm tonight when they host Tennessee State at 7pm.

McPhee-McCuin’s Dolphins began the season at 0-2, but finally reached the winners’ column in an 83-39 victory over Edward Waters College in an exhibition game on November 20.

The win did not count toward the regular season schedule.

“This game was all about us finding ourselves and continuing to get better,” said McPhee-McCuin in a post game press release. “Our goal is to win the A-Sun Championship and in order for us to achieve that we have to work toward it.”

The Dolphins opened the season with a hard fought 69-64 loss on the road to Florida A and M on November 8 in Tallahassee, Florida.

“We definitely played with effort,” she said. “There were some nerves in the beginning that made us have a few unforced turnovers. However, we pushed the ball in transition and rebounded well. It came down to us valuing possessions and getting stops defensively. That is something we have been honing on in practice and something we will continue to work on as the season progresses. The effort and will to win was there and we showed some things we can build on.”

In their second game, they suffered an 82-53 loss, again on the road to South Florida, on November 13 in Tampa.

McPhee-McCuin recently celebrated the signing of the initial members of her first recruiting class as Dolphins head coach.

The Dolphins opened the NCAA early signing period by receiving letters of intent from Kayla Gordon, Imani Kyser and Shaleighya Sulton.

McPhee-McCuin became the first Bahamian head coach in an NCAA Division I basketball programme when she was appointed as the Dolphins head coach back in April.

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

During her introduction to the Dolphins’ fan base, she took time to recognise the efforts of her parents in guiding her towards her chosen career path.

“This is an accomplishment that I hope will inspire young people and show that the hard work does indeed pay off. I am truly honoured, humbled and blessed to lead this programme,” she said. “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. Thank you for instilling in me the necessary tools for this journey that we call life.”

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

A nine-year coaching veteran, McPhee-McCuin took 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 is nationally renowned and she has 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 was the first female Bahamian coach to sign a Bahamian player, Jonquel Jones, to the NCAA Division I programme.

Jones has since transferred to George Washington University.

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. She is expected to take over as head coach of the next women’s senior national basketball team.

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 Rhode Island, 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.

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.