After an extensive search, Kansas City Athletics has announced Dionnah Jackson-Durrett will be the new head coach of UMKC women’s basketball.
“We are delighted to have Dionnah as a part of our Kansas City family,” Director of Athletics Brandon Martin said. “She is a phenomenal leader and teacher of the nuances of basketball, and a maven of skill development and championing academic excellence.”
Jackson-Durrett is a former first-round WNBA pick and was one of the most highly touted assistant coaches in the country. She was an associate head coach at Texas for the past two seasons and coached in five consecutive elite eights.
“I’m honored and ecstatic to be a part of the Kansas City Athletics family,” Jackson-Durrett said. “Throughout the process the energy has been amazing, and my decision developed organically. I’m supposed to be here, I feel it in my heart.”
Jackson-Durrett has proven that she can lead a winning culture. In her two years as associate head coach at Texas, she helped lead the Longhorns to 50 wins, a Big 12 Tournament Title and back-to-back elite eight appearances.
Guard play is monumental in Jackson-Durrett’s system, and she has shown that she can develop players. This past season, Texas’ top-four scorers were exclusively at the guard positions.
“Kansas City is getting a star. Dionnah is prepared, hungry, and passionate,” former Oklahoma head coach Sheri Coale said. “She has a vision for both building champions and winning championships. She will be a role model and a leader, not just for her team, but for the university and the community as well.”
