University of the Incarnate Word Men's Baseball

The University of the Incarnate Word Athletic Director Richard Duran announced the hiring of Jhasmin Player as the new Women's Basketball Head Coach on Friday, March 28. Player comes to UIW after three seasons as the associate head coach at Oklahoma State University (2022-2025). She brings with her nearly 15 years of coaching experience.  In Player’s three seasons at OKST, the Cowgirls registered 20+ wins in two out of the three seasons. Most recently in the 2024-25 campaign the Cowgirl basketball program went 25-7 (14-4) and finished in 3rd in the Big 12 standings. The Cowgirls 25 wins was the third-best total in program history. OKST made the NCAA Tournament as the 7th seed in Spokane Regional.     In her first season in Stillwater, Player helped guide OKST to a 21-win season and a return to the NCAA Tournament.    Player came to Stillwater after spending the 2021-22 season as a member of the SMU coaching staff where she helped the Mustangs to a WNIT berth.    Prior to her stop in Dallas, Player served two seasons as an assistant coach for Kansas, working for the Jayhawks from 2019-2021. Additionally, she spent the 2018-19 campaign as a member of the staff at Loyola Marymount, helping the program to its first postseason appearance since 2001 with the Lions earning a WNIT bid.     Player enjoyed a pair of stints at the University of Maine, helping the Black Bears to the conference championship game in 2017 and 2018. Her final season with the program resulted in a 23-10 mark and an America East title, leading to the program's first NCAA tournament appearance since 2004. Four players earned all-conference status during that span. She also spent the 2011-12 and 2012-13 campaigns on staff as well.     A native of Bay City, Texas, Player competed for five seasons professionally in Europe, spending time in Portugal, Spain and Poland. She averaged 39.9 points a game during the 2014 season. Additionally, she spent one season with the WNBA's Atlanta Dream.    A 2009 graduate of Baylor, Player earned her degree in speech communication where she was a four-year standout for the Lady Bears, serving as team captain her final two years. She helped guide Baylor to four NCAA tournaments as well as the 2009 Big 12 tournament title. She was named to the Big 12 Championship All-Tournament Team following the Lady Bears' victory over Texas A&M.    Player received honorable mention all-league recognition on two occasions and was named to the Big 12 All-Defensive Team in 2007.   Player is joined by her wife, Raveen Symone Player, and her daughter, Khobi Player.

Kelsey 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). 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.

Christian Reyes joined the UIW Baseball staff in August of 2025. Reyes arrives at UIW after serving as recruiting coordinator and infield coach at Texas A&M–Corpus Christi (TAMUCC). With the Islanders, he helped increase the team's conference fielding percentage by 10 points and doubled the number of double plays turned from the previous year. He also helped guide TAMUCC to the conference tournament, where the Islanders upset No. 3 seed Lamar and advanced to the brink of the Edinburg Bracket Championship game.     Before TAMUCC, Reyes was recruiting coordinator and hitting coach at McLennan Community College (2023–24). During his tenure, the Highlanders posted back-to-back standout seasons, including a 40-win campaign in 2023 and a 43-19 record in 2024, capped by an NJCAA Division I World Series appearance. His players earned seven all-conference honors in 2023, with 18 athletes moving on to Division I programs (an NJCAA best), including seven to Power Five schools. In 2024, 17 more players advanced to Division I programs, nine to Power Four schools (NJCAA best), and Mac Rose was selected in the MLB Draft. Offensively, McLennan led Region V North in slugging percentage, home runs, and runs scored, finishing top 50 nationally in doubles, home runs, and runs.     Reyes began his coaching career at his alma mater, the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, as a volunteer assistant from 2020 to 2022, working with infielders and hitters. Under his guidance, the Trojans led the Sun Belt Conference in double plays in 2021 and 2022, with the 2022 defense ranking among the NCAA Division I top 50 in double plays turned per game.  

Gunner Hellstrom joined the UIW Baseball staff in August of 2025. Hellstrom joins UIW after serving as pitching and catching coach at Odessa College in 2025. Hellstrom helped lead the Wranglers to a 40-17 record, their first WJCAC Championship in 10 years, and their first-ever super regional host site. Hellstrom helped produce 11 Division I commitments and one MLB Draft selection, Daniel Lopez (12th round, Baltimore Orioles).   Before Odessa, Hellstrom spent three seasons on staff at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln (2022–24), serving as a student assistant, then a graduate assistant. He worked closely with catchers, hitters, and pitchers. He contributed to the Cornhuskers' first-ever Big Ten Tournament Championship in 2024 and multiple NCAA regional appearances. During his tenure, he helped develop several MLB draft picks, including Brice Matthews (1st round, 2023), Max Anderson (2nd round, 2023), Emmett Olsen (4th round, 2023), Jace Kaminska (10th round, 2023), Josh Caron (4th round, 2024), and Brett Sears (7th round, 2024).   As a player, Hellstrom was a standout catcher at Nebraska (2018–21). He was named to the Big Ten All-Freshman Team in 2018. He was a three-time Academic All-Big Ten selection and a four-time Nebraska Scholar-Athlete Honor Roll honoree. He helped the Huskers to two Big Ten titles and multiple NCAA regional berths, highlighted by a walk-off hit against Indiana to clinch the 2021 championship. During his playing career, he caught current MLB pitchers Matt Waldron (San Diego Padres), Nate Fisher (New York Mets), Cade Povich (Baltimore Orioles), and Spencer Schwellenbach (Atlanta Braves).  

Danielle 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. 

Alexander Cossé enters his second season as Director of Sports Performance with the UIW men’s basketball program in 2025-26.   In his role, Cossé plans and coordinates strength and conditioning programs for the team and for individual student-athletes to perform at their highest levels, both physically and mentally.   Cossé came to UIW after spending the previous season at James Madison, where he assisted their head strength coach with all responsibilities.   Prior to JMU, Cossé spent time as an intern at both North Carolina and Tulane, assisting their strength and conditioning programs and ensuring student-athletes were meeting performance goals. A native of New Orleans, Louisiana, Cossé earned his bachelor’s degree in kinesiology and exercise science from Southeastern Louisiana University in 2023.