SAN ANTONIO – The University of the Incarnate Word head women's basketball coach, Jhasmin Player, has finalized her coaching staff for the 2025-26 season. Player brings in associate head coach Kelsey Johnson and assistant coach Danielle Sanderlin. Amber Cunningham continues as an assistant coach at UIW for her seventh season.  

Johnson comes to UIW after spending the past season as the recruiting coordinator and assistant coach at Saint Louis University. Johnson came to Saint Louis University after spending the 2022-23 season at Southeast Missouri State University, following stops at the University of Mississippi (2021-22) and UT Martin (2019-21). 

"I am extremely excited about adding Kelsey to our staff," said Coach Player. "Kelsey is a rising star in this business. Kelsey has been a part of building some great teams. She is one of the best position coaches in the country, and she has a gift for connecting to student athletes. Kelsey is coming to us from a great program at Saint Louis, and I am beyond excited to have her as my go-to person as I begin my tenure here at UIW." 

"I could not be happier to join this amazing community at the University of the Incarnate Word," said Johnson. "I can already tell it's a special place. Within the first five minutes of my initial conversation with Coach Player I knew I had to come and be apart of what she is building. She has a long history of success and I am excited to take flight with this special group of staff and players." 

In her most recent role as an assistant coach at Saint Louis, Johnson helped the team to the quarterfinals in the A10 women's basketball conference tournament. 

Before her time in Cape Girardeau, Johnson was a graduate assistant at the University of Mississippi. There, she helped the Rebels to their first top-25 ranking and 20-win season since the 2006-07 season. She also aided in developing first-round WNBA draft pick Shakira Austin and the SEC Sixth Woman of the Year award recipient Angel Baker. 

Johnson's first graduate assistant role was with UT Martin, where she helped the Skyhawks secure back-to-back conference championships in 2020-21. She was also instrumental in developing more professional talent with the 2021 WNBA Draft Pick Chelsey Perry. 

Sanderlin comes to UIW after spending the past two seasons as an assistant coach at Southeast Missouri State University. While an assistant coach at SEMO, Sanderlin helped recruit Zoe Best. Best was named the OVC Freshman of the Year and was also named to the All-OVC Second Team and All-Newcomer Team in her freshman campaign. Before her time at SEMO, Sanderlin was a graduate student at SMU, where she played under Coach Player. In her one season with the Mustangs, she played 28 games with 23 starts. Before transferring to SMU, she spent time at UMASS and Canisius. Sanderlin hails from Williamstown, New Jersey, where she attended Wildwood Catholic as a freshman and three years at Gloucester Catholic High School. 

"I spoke a lot about how much my former coaches pushed me into being a coach today," said Player. "It is very important for me to walk in that example, and because of that, I have hired Danielle. Danielle was a very good player for me at SMU. Danielle is a great example of the new culture of College athletics. Danielle transferred to me from UMass after beginning her playing career somewhere else. That's the new transfer culture, so Danielle will be able to speak to recruits about that culture. Danielle knows exactly how I want to play offensively because she played for me and she knows how I want to coach and the example I want to set. Danielle is a wealth of potential and I'm glad that I get to help mold her potential as a coach." 

"I couldn't be more excited and honored to join the WBB staff at UIW," said Sanderlin. "I feel so blessed to be able to aid Coach Player in leading young women, just as she did for me while in college. UIW is an institution with history, a staple in San Antonio's community, and closely knit. It's truly an honor to now be a part of it." 

The 2025-26 UIW women's basketball season will tip off in early November. 

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