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New ODU women’s basketball head coach Nikki McCray goes 1-on-1 with Mitch

Posted at 11:22 PM, Jun 02, 2017
and last updated 2017-06-02 23:52:11-04

NORFOLK, Va. - It's been a "whirlwind" the past few months for new Old Dominion women's head basketball coach Nikki McCray. After winning a national championship with South Carolina in April, she became the focal point of the Lady Monarchs search for a new coach.

Nikki McCray played under the legendary Pat Summitt at Tennessee Photo Credit: Matthew Stockman/ALLS

"I kind of dove in with my head, just trying to get acclimated," said McCray. "Everybody's lended a helping hand to helping me find my way."

It will be a challenging first year for coach McCray as the roster only returns 8 players, and of the three committed incoming players, two have re-opened their recruitment, and one has committed to play elsewhere. McCray is known as a top-notch recruiter, and will work with what she has.

"For me, it's about establishing that culture," said McCray. "You want them to buy into what you want them to do, and that starts with discipline."

Discipline was McCray's forte during her playing days. After winning a national championship in her freshman year under the late Pat Summitt and Tennessee, McCray went on to win two Olympic gold medals with Team USA.

She was also a WNBA All-Star with the Washington Mystics.  Those accolades alone will put potential recruits on alert that McCray wants to win.

"Anytime you walk on this campus, you're going to feel the energy, you're going to feel the love, you're going to feel the fanbase," said McCray. "Why not ODU? Our staff is invested, and I'm really excited to be a part of the ODU family."