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“Yolett will be a great addition to our athletics department, and to the University as a whole,” said Edwards. “She’s a proven top-notch recruiter whose results-driven vision is certain to bring success to our women’s basketball program.” A nine-year coaching veteran, McPhee-McCuin comes to JU following a three-year stint at Clemson where she was tagged as one of the top assistants in the nation by the National Women’s Basketball Insider. During her time in South Carolina she solidified her reputation as one of the most knowledgeable recruiters in the game today. This past season alone McPhee-McCuin spearheaded the No. 16 ranked recruiting class in the country, landing five McDonalds All-American nominees for the Tigers. “Today is a great day to be a Dolphin. I’d like to thank President Cost, the Board of Trustees and Director of Athletics Brad Edwards for this opportunity,” said McCuin. “This University is in great hands with President Cost and after my first conversation with Brad, I knew that our believes and vision were aligned for greatness.” As the first Bahamian female to sign a Letter of Intent to a Division I school, McPhee-McCuin has become a trailblazer for aspiring females from her home country of the Bahamas. She is also the first female from her country to coach at a Division I program. Named the Bahamian women’s national team coach in March, McPhee-McCuin will bring a wealth of international experience to the First Coast. “Today marks a turning point, this marks the dawn of a new culture for JU women’s basketball,” added McCuin. “Jacksonville and the basketball community will know who we are and there will be no ceilings to our daily goals and accomplishments. I am truly humbled, honored and blessed to be the leader of this program. This is a great accomplishment from me and a responsibility I carry to be living proof that hard work does pay off.” Throughout her nine-year coaching career, McPhee-McCuin has made a large impact in each of the communities that she has come across. She developed a foundation in the Bahamas called Back2Basics, which helps the development of children through education and athletics. Additionally, she was involved in numerous community service projects at her other coaching stops. Prior to her time at Clemson, she was on staff at Pitt for two years. With the Panthers, McPhee-McCuin helped guide the program to a pair of post season appearances highlighted by a No. 14 national ranking and a Sweet 16 appearance in 2009. McPhee-McCuin spent the 2007-08 season at Portland, where she acted as recruiting coordinator and also helped run the team’s marketing efforts. With her guidance, the team posted their best record in 10 years, and developed guard Katie Burris to all-conference honors after averaging less than one point per game the previous season. After starting her coaching career as the first ever assistant coach for Frank Phillips College [Texas], she went to work at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator. Here, she earned her Master’s in physical education, recording a 4.0 GPA. McPhee-McCuin received a bachelor’s degree in business management and administration from the University of Rhode Island in 2004. She played two seasons at Miami-Dade Community College, before playing two seasons with the Rams. She appeared in 56 games for URI, and helped lead the Rams to the 2003 A-10 Championship game. An active member of the coaching community, McPhee-McCuin is a member of the “So You Want to be a Coach “ program through the WBCA, and she holds membership in the Black Coaches and Administrators Association. The former Yolett McPhee is married to Kelly McCuin, and the couple just welcomed their first child, Yasmine Lee, to their family in September. |
 
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