So, coach, call up.

I just have to say welcome back to business life 360 from Miami, Florida.

Tricia Cullop: Thanks for having me.

Kristi K: It's great to see you again.

And just a few things have changed since the last time we sat down on the court at the University of Toledo.

Congratulations to you on your new job as head women's basketball coach at the University of Miami.

Tricia Cullop: It's taking a little adjustment, but I tell you what, I. I absolutely loved my time at Toledo.

the people in Toledo made that job an incredible job, for so many years.

And I know I have some lifelong friends that, I will always stay in touch with.

that made my career there incredibly special.

But this was an incredible opportunity that I just couldn't pass up.

And, I'm really excited about the future here as well.

Kristi K: So it's no surprise, as we said in our first segment, that your leadership skills precede you everywhere you go.

Have you had a chance then to meet the new team?

I know you haven't been there for very long, but if so, what was that moment like?

Tricia Cullop: You know, it's it's always fun to get to know, people that you haven't had a chance to coach yet and, and start to develop bonds with them.

it's been fun to walk around this campus with them.

It's a beautiful campus, to eat lunch with them, to go to dinner with them, to start to develop the strong bonds that I had at Toledo with my players.

There.

And so what's been fun was to bring two of my assistants with me, that were with me for six years and four years, and Jesse Ivey and Daniel Page, because I know that they'll help me, build the strong chemistry that we had on that campus.

but also to keep a few assistants that were here because it's an unusual situation, and that the coach before me retired.

it was in a situation where the team was losing.

They were actually doing very, very well.

And so I kept her top assistant and I kept two other assistants that were very, integral to their success.

And it's really helped me move quickly here.

Kristi K: Well, it has been a while since you've taken a new job, right?

So how has a transition been this far?

are your boxes packed?

Tricia Cullop: You know, I'm still actually going to head back to Toledo this weekend and start to to try to pack some more.

I've got to get my house on the market.

the good thing is, I did find a house here.

I'm looking forward to getting back into a house.

Kristi K: Well, we talked about you have a couple of pets.

Tell us about those dogs of yours.

And when they're going to make the move.

Tricia Cullop: Yeah.

Rocky and Maggie, I've got a little shitzu that, is older and, you know, he.

Because my two dogs are both, like, 14 and 15 years old, I, I'm taking my time getting them down here.

I want to get into a house first.

I don't want them to have to get used to different places.

But I do miss him.

You know, I think every, every coach should have a dog because they love you whether you win or lose.

And and they're just great company.

I enjoy taking walks with them and I missed that.

so I'm looking forward to seeing them this coming weekend.

But I'm I'm more excited about getting them down here.

Kristi K: And some pretty darn good weather down there too.

So that's not too bad either.

Yeah.

Tricia Cullop: Yeah, I may get a tan at some point.

Kristi K: Yeah, right.

Exactly.

so on this show, we talk about all the changes that are taking place in collegiate athletics.

And one of the things that we've touched upon before in our first interview is really name, image and likeness.

And the University of Miami Hurricanes, I know they have a a stronger budget for that than maybe you would have had in Toledo.

So how is that going to impact your recruiting class as you look ahead?

Tricia Cullop: You know, it's very competitive.

at this level, I think in the first conversation that you have with a student athlete, if you don't talk about that on the phone, then you're probably not going to be in the future conversations with them.

It is a very integral part of the recruiting process at this level.

And, you know, there's a lot of varying levels of what people are able to offer, student.

Kristi K: Athletes now, something that I don't know if those at the University of Miami know this about you yet, but you know how to attract a huge crowd at games.

So this is going to be fun to watch.

What's your bet?

But at the same thing that you had in Toledo is going to be carrying over to the University of Miami.

Tricia Cullop: One thing that was exciting, about a week and a half ago, is that the twins, recommitted to us that played here before, and they they're they're probably the the biggest following on social media of any player that I've ever coached.

So number one attendance was the best when they were on the roster here.

And so I'm excited they're coming back.

they asked me, you know, how to coach.

How do you feel about social media?

And I said, I'm so excited that you've capitalized on it.

You you understand how to make the most of it and monetize it.

But I'm really excited about their following to get them to games.

they have some very creative ways that I think will be unique in how we draw people to the games that I'm grateful for.

I'm also grateful for the fact that a lot of people from the Toledo surrounding area retire in South Florida.

And so we have a built in fan base that's here that we're snowbirds.

That didn't always come to my games when I was at Toledo, because it was getting colder and they came down to their winter home.

So what I'm hoping is that between the two of us, we can improve that just on those two things alone.

But we will get our kids out in the community and start to develop relationships like we did it.

Toledo.

And we'll work very hard at that, because it is a lot more fun when you have people in the stands.

And, for my career, Toledo is so blessed.

And and I really hope that we can build that for our players here.

Kristi K: As you were leaving Toledo, how was a goodbye?

I know your team.

You were so close with your team, your your three captains in particular that we talked to earlier in this show, mentioned just what it's like to play for you.

Tricia Cullop: You know, it was hard.

Things moved so fast when I took the job that I didn't get to tell our players in person.

And that's something that I wish I could change.

I wish I could have walked into a room and hugged all of them and told them in person how much they meant to me.

I had to tell them on zoom, which I think it had leaked on social media and they probably had found out that way, which is not how you want to tell anyone that you're close to that.

That's how it happened.

but I did get to see a lot of them.

I went to watch Kenisha Lockett in the at the Final Four and the All-Star game.

The majority of the team was there to support Kenisha, so I did get to see them in person.

did get to hug them and tell them how much I still love them and that, you know, I'll always be in their lives in some way, as an advocate, as a person, that will be a reference on jobs.

And those kids know that I'm always going to be there for them, and I'm always cheering them on, even if I'm not on the same sideline.

So I wish them nothing but the best.

I hope they win their fourth championship in a row.

this season and I hope I get to at least watch it even if it's online.

because I think the absolute world of all of it.

Kristi K: So, coach, I just have to say, we're all cheering for you every single step of the way.

You have been such an asset with the Mac, and no doubt you're going to be an asset there in Miami with the SEC.

And just know that we're thinking about you, are watching you.

We're so grateful that you are part of business life 360 today.

And we're cheering for you.

Thank you.

Tricia Cullop: Well, thank you.

And just know I'll always be cheering for the rockets to.