Photo credit: Breeze File Photo
After a standout inaugural season in the Atlantic Union Bank Center (AUBC), JMU women’s basketball’s season came to an end in an overtime loss to Drexel in the CAA semifinals. Head coach Sean O’Regan said after the game that the loss was a “hard pill to swallow,” but the Dukes could find new momentum with the addition of Kachine Alexander and Raven James to the coaching staff.
O’Regan and the Dukes wasted no time getting to work during the offseason. After an unusual season in a new, but empty, arena, the future looked bright when it was announced that fans would be allowed at full capacity this season.
“To do all this stuff that we do and not be rewarded with the community support, I think it’s just a sad thing,” O’Regan said. “I’m really, really excited.”
Alongside a new arena, O’Regan — known as Coach O. to the players — revamped his coaching staff, bringing on graduate assistant Raven James and assistant coach Kachine Alexander. Other recent hires include assistant coach Samantha Prahalis-Holmes, who joined the staff in April 2020, and Kayla Cooper Williams — a former player who joined the program as a graduate assistant in 2020 and was promoted to director of player development and recruiting in July 2021.
Alexander, known as Coach Kash, joined the coaching staff in July 2021. Before her arrival at JMU, Alexander served as an assistant coach at Florida Atlantic University, North Dakota State University and Concordia-St. Paul. Prior to coaching, Alexander played at the University of Iowa and was drafted by the Minnesota Lynx in the third round of the 2011 draft.
“Coming here and bringing a lot of energy is, I think, one of the biggest reasons [O’Regan] wanted me to be a part of the program,” Alexander said. “I think I coach just like I played — with a lot of passion and a lot of heart and a lot of love for the game.”
O’Regan announced James’s addition Oct. 1. James, a 2021 graduate, is new to the coaching world after a playing career at Villanova. She excelled on the court, racking up 83 assists with a career-high average of 3.77 assists per game her senior season.
“I still had the [COVID-19] year for eligibility, and I had to get surgery on my back, so after that recovery, I knew I wanted to stay close to basketball,” James said. “I just really wanted to get back in some part of basketball [and] stay connected, and I thought coaching was the best way to go.”
James may be new to the world of coaching, but she doesn’t lack experience with JMU’s program. During her time at Villanova, James and the Wildcats faced off against the Dukes twice — she played against Cooper Williams and then-freshman Kiki Jefferson.
“It’s awesome — it’s definitely a great icebreaker,” James said. “Just talking about the differences and the dynamics and really using that to come together, it’s actually been a thing that’s worked really well for both of us.”
Cooper Williams, a four-year starter for the Dukes, played from 2015-20 and set records left and right. Starting in her freshman season, Cooper Williams set the single-season blocked shots record with 71. She tied that record as a redshirt sophomore and solidified her place in JMU’s record books in her redshirt junior and senior campaigns.
“I had an amazing time as a player here,” Cooper Williams said. “Coach O. is amazing, and Coach [Caskill] — they’re like my extended family, so it only made sense when Coach O. offered ... for me to stay.”
James has a long-standing relationship with O’Regan — before she joined his coaching staff, he was a family friend. She said she’s always had a good relationship with him which influenced her decision to start her coaching career in Harrisonburg.
“He really cares about the development of the players, as well as the staff, so I thought that he’d be a great mentor,” James said. “I know he runs a winning program, and that was something I wanted to be a part of.”
Alexander, James and Cooper Williams all bring playing experience to the table as coaches. Their experiences with their respective teams — and Alexander’s experience coaching at other schools — bring a unique set of perspectives and ideas, O’Regan said.
“Our staff has good cohesion,” O’Regan said. “We all fill a different role, and I’m excited about that for this year.”
Alexander’s role, O’Regan said, is to provide energy to the coaching staff. Cooper Williams has a unique perspective from being on the other side of O’Regan’s coaching style — O’Regan said it’s nice having someone who knows him so well and knows what he’s looking for. Cooper Williams also said she has strong relationships with the players as their former teammate.
“It was a little bit difficult last year as a [graduate assistant] … especially because our team has always been so close, just, like, understanding I’m no longer in that position, that I’m in a professional role,” Cooper Williams said. “I also think it helps because I already have that relationship with them — when I’m saying things to them, they receive it as ‘I’m here for your best interests.’"
While James and Cooper Williams’ recent playing careers brought a fresh set of eyes to the program, their arrival didn’t come without adjustments. Cooper Williams said there’s a shift in mentality when one goes from being a player to a coach, especially since she’s coaching former teammates.
“Taking myself out of the role of a player and being more behind-the-scenes … it’s a big difference when you’re on the court and on the sideline,” Cooper Williams said. “I didn’t realize how much was actually being done.”
Alexander is entering her ninth year of coaching. She’s a seasoned coach, but she said she still pulls from her experiences as a player in her coaching style.
“I understand what the players are going through on an everyday basis,” Alexander said. “Catering my coaching to that and being able to read players … I credit that [from] being a player.”
With a diverse coaching staff brimming with skill and experience, O’Regan has all the tools for a successful season. The Dukes are predicted to finish third in the CAA, with Jefferson and sophomore guard Peyton McDaniel both earning preseason All-CAA honors. JMU’s season kicks off Nov. 9 at 7 p.m. when the Dukes welcome U. Va to the AUBC.
“I couldn’t be more excited,” O’Regan said. “I think you can enjoy it more now because it’s been taken away.”
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