The Rising Coaches Podcast

On this episode of the Rising Coaches Podcast, we’re joined by Riley Conroy, Assistant Coach at the University of South Alabama. Riley’s path in basketball started as a player at Tulane before moving into coaching with stops at Sunrise Christian Academy, Southeastern Louisiana, and now South Alabama. Along the way, he’s built a reputation as a strong recruiter and someone who understands how to add value within a staff. In this episode we discuss the biggest mistake young coaches make when trying to stand out on their staffs, what he would prioritize if he were to step into a head coaching role tomorrow, and advice on how younger coaches can learn to evaluate and recruit players to best fit their head coach’s needs.

On this episode of the Rising Coaches Podcast, we’re joined by Mike MacDonald, Head Coach at Daemen University. Coach MacDonald has built his career with stops at Canisius and Daemen as an assistant before moving into head coaching roles at Canisius, Medaille, and now Daemen, where he continues to build a strong program. His experience across multiple roles has shaped his approach to leadership, development, and team success. In this episode we discuss how to effectively network on your own campus when you’re new to a program, how coaches like John Beilein and other head coaches he has worked with have helped impact their players and assistants to develop, as well as how Coach MacDonald uses his players’ strengths in games to put them in the best position to succeed.

On this episode of the Rising Coaches Podcast, we’re joined by LaShonda Cousin, Associate Head Coach and Recruiting Coordinator at the University of North Carolina Charlotte. Coach Cousin began her career in AAU basketball before moving into the college ranks with stops at Jackson State and Charlotte, working her way up through multiple roles on staff. Along the way, she’s earned recognition for her impact as an assistant and her ability to recruit and develop players. In this episode we discuss her transition from GA to assistant and what helped her earn high-level recognition, ways coaching staffs can better engage the community and build fan support, and the toughest challenges of recruiting in today’s landscape.

On this episode of the Rising Coaches Podcast, we welcome back a familiar name, Alan Major, current assistant coach at the University of San Diego. After diving into his background and coaching journey in a previous episode, this conversation takes a different angle, focusing on the often-overlooked time between jobs. Alan opens up about how he approached that downtime, the intentional steps he took to continue growing as a coach, and the mindset required to stay ready when opportunities arise. We also discuss how his new role at USD came together and what the transition back onto a staff has looked like. This episode offers an honest look at resilience, preparation, and trusting the process in this profession.

On this episode of the Rising Coaches Podcast, we’re joined by Joe Meehan, former Division I assistant coach and founder of Optima Vita Consulting, a new partner with Rising Coaches. Joe’s basketball journey takes him from playing division 3 to a career in Switzerland, while also holding various positions at his coaching stops at Randolph-Macon and Bucknell. Today, through Optima Vita Consulting, he works with coaches and professionals on building better habits and healthier lifestyles that support long-term performance. In this episode we discuss what he focused on early in his career at Randolph-Macon to become valuable to the head coach, how young coaches today can stand out in a changing landscape, and the four pillars of Optima Vita Consulting — exercise, stress, sleep, and nutrition.