DeUnna Hendrix, the head coach of women’s basketball at Miami University, sits down with us in this episode of the 35,000 Feet podcast and gives us insight into her journey as a basketball coach. She shares how she got her start in coaching, how team travel helps build a community that translates to the floor, and what’s next for Miami University women’s basketball team!

In this episode, we discuss:

• How this past season went for the Miami University Women’s Basketball team (0:23)

• How Coach Hendrix got into coaching (2:05)

• DeUnna’s favorite travel experience (4:01)

• One thing that no one knows about DeUnna (5:31)

• DeUnna’s advice to athletes wanting to play in college (6:43)

• DeUnna’s next adventure (8:33)

2019-2020 Miami University Women’s Basketball Team

Dakota: Well, speaking of this season, tell us about some of the highs and the lows that you're having so far.

DeUnna Hendrix: Yeah, so we're a first-year staff, so we just got here about nine months ago. They're coming off two pretty successful seasons. They went to the post season. And so now we have, but they graduated a ton, so we graduated four seniors that produced a lot, points, rebounds, assists, just about everything. And so we're in this rebuilding stage. So we had two all conference kids, but then for the most part, everybody else's is new.

So yeah, we're young, inexperienced, but in our non-conference schedule, we were able to put together some wins that we probably weren't expected to win. So we got a big one against Pitt, that's probably our highlight. And then I don't know how much you know about the MAC conference, but it's a beast, especially on the women's side.

Dakota: Yeah, I was looking at the schedule, it looks pretty tough.

DeUnna Hendrix: Yeah. It's a monster. It's a monster. I think, in my opinion, it's the best mid-major conference in the nation. And so we've taken our bumps and bruises throughout the conference season that we've grown throughout each game. So I'm really excited about where we're going.

How DeUnna Started Coaching Basketball

Dakota: Awesome. You said it's your first year of coaching?

DeUnna Hendrix: It's the first year at Miami. I was a head coach at High Point University for seven years.

Dakota: Okay. So I guess being a first coach at Miami, did you bring on a whole new staff and everything?

DeUnna Hendrix: Yeah, we did. We did. I actually took one of my assistants from High Point, this is our fifth year together. But besides that, the other two assistants are brand new.

Dakota: So I guess a little bit more about yourself. What got you into basketball and more specifically after that, what got you into coaching?

DeUnna Hendrix: Yeah, I'm from Indiana. So in my opinion, it is the best basketball state in the nation.

Dakota: I won't disagree.

DeUnna Hendrix: You won't disagree, you're one of the few, you're one of the few.

Dakota: The Hoosiers state, right?

DeUnna Hendrix: Hoosiers state, come on. I mean, I did spend eight years in North Carolina, so I've been going back and forth with North Carolinians about what the best basketball state is. So finally somebody that's in agreement. But no. Yeah. I come from basketball family, my mom played, she was an all American. She won a national title, I mean, she was all everything. And then my uncles and my cousins all played. And so basketball was sort of a thing. The funny part is, is I knew I wanted to coach before I even knew I wanted to play, because I was watching so many of my role models and idols coaching. And so it was just one of those things where playing led to coaching. Once I was done putting the ball in the hoop, I knew I wanted to teach and mentor and one thing led to another.

Dakota: And so I guess you like coaching more than playing or is it about the same?

DeUnna Hendrix: Well with age, my body doesn't work like it used to. And so now I'm more into the coaching thing. I'm definitely retired.

Dakota: Okay, awesome. And you guys have a game tomorrow, so you're preparing for that right now, right?

DeUnna Hendrix: We are, we are, we're actually right in the middle of practice. We got a big, tall task ahead. We play Ohio, the Bobcats, who are actually one of the top teams in our league.

Dakota: Okay. And if you win tomorrow, is that going to affect the seeding for your tournament next week or anything?

DeUnna Hendrix: It will. It will. We're all in a whole cluster right now, the top three teams have sort of separated from the pack, but tomorrow's a big day for the whole week.

Dakota: Good luck for sure.

DeUnna Hendrix: Thank you.

Coach DeUnna’s Favorite Travel Experiences

Dakota: Have you ever traveled as a team? Not necessarily for games, but as a team building experience?

DeUnna Hendrix: Yeah. I always try to plan for where obviously there's only so much time throughout the year, but I try to plan to where we have a few extra days wherever we go, especially if it's a flight. So I think the coolest part of coaching and being a part of a team, especially at the collegiate level, is being able to take players out of their region and getting them to experience things that they wouldn't otherwise be able to experience. So I was down in Jacksonville, Florida, I was at JU for four years. Well, we only really recruited Georgia and Florida kids. And so we would take them out of the state and experience snow. Well, some kids hadn't experienced snow before, so bringing them back to the Midwest or just taking them out of region is a big thing. So we've done just about everywhere across the country, but I really like to allot a few more days just to get out and see the city and experience things that they wouldn't otherwise experience.

Dakota: Yeah. That's awesome. How do you think these extra travel experiences you do as a team help your team?

DeUnna Hendrix: Oh, it's everything. It's everything, especially on the women's side because it's so relational, a lot of times it's just building community and fellowshipping together and obviously that translates on the floor. You start to build trust, you start to build love and care and usually start to see results from it.

A Unique Fact about Coach DeUnna

Dakota: Going back to this more about yourself, is there one thing that no one knows about you that you want to share?

DeUnna Hendrix: I mean, I think anybody that knows me calls me an alien. I'm still trying to figure out should I be offended or not? But I approach things differently I guess. And that I'm pretty open to just about everything. So as a leader, most times you're in a position where you dictate a lot. Well, my leadership style is very open and I literally want opinions from everyone, from our players, to our support staff, to obviously my assistants and we do it together. We do it together. And so my my opinion or my voice doesn't weigh heavier than anyone else's. So when people talk about player driven teams, well, I give them a lot of situations to decide, give them the knowledge, obviously, and the education to make good decisions. But really a lot of times our players are making our decisions. And so it's different, just especially in a head coaching role.

Coach DeUnna’s Advice to Athletes Wanting to Play in College

Dakota: Thanks for sharing that. Going to the recruiting side of stuff, so if there are any athletes listening, but if there are any athletes in high school wanting to play at Division 1, or even just any NCAA division, level, do you have any advice for them?

DeUnna Hendrix: Yeah. Yeah. I mean, I would say I could talk all day about how to prepare, but I think I say it all the time, but who you are anywhere is who you are everywhere. And I think that means you got to put your work in, in the classroom. You've got to put it in, in the community. It's just really working on your reputation all the way around. Who are you? What's your character? Because I think anybody can spot talent, but every coach in America is going to dig a little bit deeper and figure out who you are as a person and who you are as a student. Who you are as a sister, who you are as a daughter. You want to just think, who you are anywhere is who you are everywhere.

Dakota: Do you have some pretty great experiences on you're recruiting trips?

DeUnna Hendrix: Ah man, it's everything, you see so many people from different walks of life and I'm constantly learning and growing from even 15-year-olds, just hearing their story. So yeah, you get a whole bunch of stuff from, we always call it the entourage. So you're talking to coaches and high school coaches and parents, but also sisters and brothers. You're literally talking to everybody that's surrounding a player. So you get to learn and grow and give and receive. So I love those experiences.

Dakota: It's your first year at Miami, but have you recruited internationally before? I'm not familiar with women's basketball at that level.

DeUnna Hendrix: Yeah. Yeah. So at the mid-major level in general, international recruiting has really become more popular as a reset. And so we're actually trying to get into how to do that at Miami. Our other sports have gotten really heavily into international recruiting. So I'm trying to feel my way around this place and figure out what is soccer doing? What is field hockey doing to get international kids? But it's a big interest for sure.

Coach DeUnna’s Future Travel Plans

Dakota: Cool. What is your next adventure, either you personally or as a team?

DeUnna Hendrix: Oh, man. I'm actually traveling to Mexico soon for one of my friend's wedding. Yeah. So I don't know too much right now because it's season, so my focus is all in season. But in May, I'm actually going down to Mexico for the first time for a personal trip. Most head coaches don't get to do that. So I'm pretty excited about it.

Dakota: Does Miami have any plans to travel internationally or anywhere with any of their teams?

DeUnna Hendrix: Yeah. Yeah. I know we are. I know we are, I don't know about other teams yet, but we actually have one on the plans for either next year or the year after. Yeah. So we're allotted a European trip, one every four years. So we're going to try to take an overseas trip best we can.

Dakota: Awesome. At High Point, are they Division 1? Are they allowed the international trip?

DeUnna Hendrix: Yes, they're Division 1, we took two Cancun trips. So we went down to Cancun. Before I got there, they had taken a trip to Puerto Rico. And so it's on a smaller scale, but it's still out of the country.

Dakota: Yeah, for sure. That's great for the girls and for the teams in general.

DeUnna Hendrix: Yeah, for sure.

Next Season For Miami University Women’s Basketball

Dakota: Awesome. So I guess looking forward to next season, what are you most excited about?

DeUnna Hendrix: Continuing to build. I think everybody talks about culture, but we're already building it now this year and it wasn't the focus before, and it's become the focus this year and our kids have really bought into that. And then next year we have four commitments coming in that are bought into our vision as a new staff and just continuing to grow on that. And ultimately it will lead to results.

Dakota: Thank you for letting us sit down with you today and getting a glimpse into your team and also your future and your career. It was great talking with you.

DeUnna Hendrix: Thank you so much, Dakota.

Follow Miami University Women’s Basketball

• Miami University Women’s Basketball Team Facebook

• Coach DeUnna Hendrix Twitter

Podcast made in partnership with Acanela Expeditions

Theme Song - I’ll Just Be Me by Gravity Castle