The Rising Coaches Podcast

• Episode 223: Andrew Dakich, Assistant Coach, Illinois State University

  On this episode of the Rising Coaches Podcast, we’re joined by Andrew Dakich, a former Big Ten guard whose playing career at Michigan and Ohio State helped shape his path into coaching. After transitioning from the court to the sidelines, Dakich took on support staff and assistant roles at Ohio State, Elon, and now Illinois State, where he’s continued to grow within the profession and build a reputation as a young coach with a sharp basketball mind. In this episode we discuss how young players and coaches can find their voice on a team, the unique coaching tendencies he learned from Coach Beilein and Coach Holtmann, and the biggest misconceptions about being in a support-staff role—along with how he describes the position himself.

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• Episode 222: Michael Plank, Assistant Coach, San Francisco University

  On this episode of the Rising Coaches Podcast, we’re joined by Michael Plank, a coach whose path has taken him from grassroots basketball to the Division I level. He started in the AAU circuit before moving into college coaching with stops at Willamette, Casper College, Portland State, CCSF, Washington State, and now where he stands as an assistant coach, the University of San Francisco. At USF, Plank plays a key role in recruiting and development, especially through his strong West Coast connections. In this episode we discuss: what the AAU world taught him early in his career, the three qualities he would look for when building a staff as a head coach and how he uses his background and network to bring in the right players to USF.

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• Episode 221: Christina Bernal, Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach, University of Pennsylvania

  On this episode of the Rising Coaches Podcast, we’re joined by Christina Bernal. Coach Bernal has built her strength and conditioning career through impactful stops at some of the top athletic programs in the country. She competed as an athlete at the University of Maryland before moving into coaching roles at Florida State, Appalachian State, Texas State, Monmouth University, and now where she stands, the University of Pennsylvania. Her experience has allowed her to work with a wide range of athletes while developing a strong and adaptable training philosophy. Christina brings insight into athlete development, team culture, and building smart systems that support long-term success. In this episode we discuss what a typical pre, post, and in-season workout looks like, the recovery process for athletes after a workout, and unique training ideas coaches can use when designing their own team programs.

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• Episode 220: Nate Dixon, Former Division 1 Assistant

  On this episode of the Rising Coaches Podcast, we’re joined by Nate Dixon, a coach with 26 years of experience and one of the most well-traveled assistants in college basketball. After his playing career, he jumped right into coaching with early stops at Belmont Abbey and Queens University of Charlotte, before building a career that has taken him through programs such as Stetson, Florida, Louisiana-Monroe, New Orleans, Louisiana-Lafayette, Wyoming, UNC Charlotte, Lenoir-Rhyne, UMBC, Utah State, and Nevada. In this episode, we talk about how to decide if a school or staff is the right fit, the lessons he picked up working under great coaches, and what he’s doing now between jobs to stay sharp and be ready for that next opportunity. Please welcome to the podcast, Nate Dixon.

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• Episode 219: Katie Benzan, Manager of Pro Scouting and General Manager, Utah Jazz and Salt Lake City Stars,

  On this episode of the Rising Coaches Podcast, we’re joined by Katie Benzan, the current Manager of Pro Scout for the Utah Jazz and The General Manager for the Salt Lake Cities Stars. Katie was one of the most efficient shooters of the modern college game. She began her career at Harvard as a three-time All-Ivy selection before transferring to Maryland and later playing with the Washington Mystics in the WNBA. After her playing career, she moved into basketball operations and development, with stops at Buckingham Browne and Nichols School and now with the Salt Lake City Stars and Utah Jazz. In this episode, we discuss her growth as a shooter, the best feedback she has received in her career, and her current responsibilities in the GM role.

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