Eureka College Women’s basketball team announced a new head coach around this time last year. Mike Hedrick has 15 years of coaching experience, with one goal that motivates him every season: winning. With his attention to detail and helping the team work together cohesively, we can expect a very successful season for the Red Devils.
Brin Hultz, a senior shooting guard for the team, emphasized her excitement for the upcoming season and is proud of the hard work her team is putting in. Her goals for the season are the same as Hedrick’s motivation every season: to win.
“The biggest thing is putting the team’s goals first above my personal goals, because winning takes precedence over everything else. Our coach does a really good job of putting together workouts. A big separator in women’s basketball is being strong and able to get out there and compete and having that edge,” she said.
This year’s team is very diverse, as described by both Hultz and Coach Hedrick. A key area that Hedrick is striving to develop is being an actual team. With 19 new players and transfers from all over the country, the diversity and uniqueness of the team is their biggest strength. He believes that the diversity, background, and the strength of your background makes you who you are and how that plays out on the court.
“We have really quick players, we have players that have high IQ… Our greatest strength is the different ways we can attack and the depth of talent on our team,” he said.
Cadence Geiser, a freshman center for Eureka, also highlighted the depth and unique skills of the team, and how that versatility benefits them on the court.
“We have a lot of different talents and skills, and everyone can hoop. It’s very good to know that we can have all the different skill sets we need to be able to pass the test,” she said.
As a former coach and recruiting coordinator at two NCAA Division II institutions, Hedrick compiled a 123-53 overall record from 2016-2023. Originating from Hickory, North Carolina, his career started as an assistant coach at Hickory High School. There, he helped the team compile a 112-9 record from 2010-2014.
Head Coach Mike Hedrick received his bachelor’s degree in 2014, and went on to attain his master’s degree in coaching and athletic administration in 2020. Over the course of his career, he has taught health, marketing, business, physical education and finance at several schools.
“He’s played basketball, is knowledgeable about the sport, and he has really good communication skills. Because we trust him, we are more willing to learn and do what he says. He does really care about the individual, healthwise and playing wise. If we’re all really dead tired, he’s going to give us an off day, stuff like that,” Geiser said.
Hedrick would describe his own coaching style as “evolved”, as he tailors to the needs of individual players with honest conversation, then focuses on the overall needs of the team. He believes that in anything you do, you should do it the best that you can.
“You learn from the people that have mentored you and you learn from things that you’ve experienced.. We say ‘all about we’ and we really have been focusing on doing things collectively. That’s very very hard in a society where it tells you to be an individual.”
Geiser and Hultz have played basketball from very young ages, and respect Hedrick’s approach to leading the team. His attentiveness to the “little things” as they describe, is what will carry this team to success.
“The fine details that our coaches have explained and the attention to detail: it’s just the little things. You don’t have to be the most athletic or the strongest, but if you know what you’re doing and the whole team works together, we’re gonna be great,” Hultz said.
With the newest addition to the Eureka’s team, Hedrick’s fresh perspective renews a sense of excitement and steps toward the first chapter of a hardworking and optimistic journey. Beyond basketball, he is instilling values in these young women along the way.
“He’s giving us many opportunities to be leaders, opportunities to grow as people outside of basketball, which I think is very valuable,” Geiser said.
With new coaching staff for this season, anticipate a winning culture for the women’s basketball program. By using the team’s diversity and individual skills, they will have a unique and competitive edge in comparison to other teams. It is evident that Hedrick is trusted and respected by the players, and that bond will be exhibited on the court. Good luck this season Red Devils, keep putting in the time and work to become great!
