Western Carolina head women’s basketball coach Kiley Hill completed his staff for the upcoming 2021-22 season with the addition of Darryln McDonough as the program’s Director of Basketball Operations.
“I am thrilled to be joining the Western Carolina University athletics family and I am grateful to Coach Hill and the Catamount women’s basketball coaching staff for inviting me to be a part of their program,” said McDonough. “It is evident that Coach Hill has assembled an outstanding group of student-athletes that will be a force in the Southern Conference, and I am excited for the opportunity to compete for championships alongside them. The Catamount Athletic Department has welcomed me graciously, and I cannot wait to get to campus and begin contributing to the mission and success of Catamount Athletics.”
McDonough joins the Catamount women’s basketball staff after serving as a graduate assistant and student manager for the Baylor Lady Bears women’s basketball team. She was the head team manager for Baylor where she oversaw all the student managers, handled inventory control of athletic gear, and helped coordinate the logistics for the team during game days.
“We are excited to welcome a rising star in the profession in Darryln McDonough,” said Hill. “Her experience in various roles during her time at Baylor is going to be a tremendous asset in our Director of Operations position, and continue to grow Catamount Women’s Basketball from the inside out with the relationships she will build quickly. Darryln’s drive and passion for excellence is a true complement to our current staff and the overall Catamount family.”
In the 2018 Big XII Championships, McDonough got to take off her manager hat and don a uniform when the Lady Bears and head coach Kim Mulkey needed additional players. During a timeout against Kansas State in the quarterfinals, McDonough and fellow manager Michelle Kahue were asked to grab their jerseys as they were going into the game.
“We were in a timeout, and Coach (Toyelle) Wilson came up to us and was like, ‘Hey get your jerseys on,”’ McDonough said. “We just went into the tunnel, took off our sweat pants, laced up our shoes, and got ready and came back, and we were just waiting.”
McDonough saw action in four games that season and came away with an NCAA National Championship ring.
McDonough earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology and received her master’s degree in sport management in May 2021, both from Baylor.
