The Rising Coaches Podcast

On this episode of the Rising Coaches Podcast, we’re joined by Ryan Devlin, a 19-year veteran assistant coach most recently at the University of San Diego. Coach Devlin has built his career through stops at Montrose Christian, the College of Southern Idaho, Penn State, Siena, George Washington, and San Diego, along with a short stint as an interim head coach early in his career. His experience across multiple levels has given him a strong perspective on growth and longevity in the profession. In this episode we discuss the habits and skills he developed that helped him grow in the industry, the best ways to build trust within a coaching staff, and what he’s doing now to best position himself for his next opportunity.

On this episode of the Rising Coaches Podcast, we’re joined by Ken Pomeroy, Founder and Owner of KenPom and one of the most influential voices in college basketball analytics. Ken has helped reshape how coaches, media, and fans understand the game through advanced metrics and data-driven insights. His work has become a staple across the sport, providing a deeper look into team performance beyond traditional stats. In this episode we discuss the top three most valuable stats for coaches to focus on, how to effectively use plus-minus within your program, and which analytics he has noticed that consistently show up in championship-level teams.

On this episode of the Rising Coaches Podcast, we’re joined by Ernie Contreras, Performance Coach and Director of Basketball at the University of San Diego. Coach Contreras has built a strong career in strength and conditioning with stops at Santa Clara, Holy Names, Texas Tech, and experience at the G League and NBA levels before arriving at USD. His background gives him a unique perspective on developing athletes across different levels and environments. In this episode we discuss how to build a strength program when rosters are constantly changing with different body types and backgrounds, advice for coaches working without high-level resources or equipment, and how to develop mental toughness in players during preseason workouts.

On this episode of the Rising Coaches Podcast, we’re joined by Jamere Dismukes, Assistant Coach at Long Island University. Coach Dismukes played at Chicago State before building a strong coaching résumé with assistant roles at Rich East, Black Hawk College, Indian Hills, Victory Rock Prep, and now LIU, along with head coaching stops at Rich East, Hyde Park Academy, and Homewood-Flossmoor where he built a state championship program. His experience across high school, JUCO, and Division I levels gives him a unique perspective on player development and leadership. In this episode we discuss the daily non-negotiables that helped build his championship program at Homewood-Flossmoor, how he works to instill confidence in players on a daily basis, and the biggest adjustment he’s faced moving from a head coach in High School to an assistant at the Division I level.

On this episode of the Rising Coaches Podcast, we’re joined by Howard Fisher, longtime head coach at the College of the Canyons. Coach Fisher has built his career across multiple levels with assistant coaching stops at Whittier College and Los Angeles City College before leading programs with Maccabi USA and at College of the Canyons. Over the years, he’s developed a strong reputation for building competitive teams and helping players move on to the next level. In this episode we discuss how his experience coaching with Maccabi USA has shaped his approach as a head coach, one thing he believes coaches should stop doing in the recruiting process, and what he looks for when evaluating JUCO talent that others might overlook.