Arkansas State’s Destinee Rogers savoring the long journey to the top of the Sun Belt

She was likely reflecting on the historic journey that had brought her to this moment — the pride of being the program’s first African American women’s head coach, the determination of her Arkansas State women’s basketball team to exceed expectations by winning the Sun Belt Tournament championship, and the exhilaration of securing the program’s first-ever NCAA Tournament berth.

In the same moment, 5’8 sophomore guard Crislyn Rose, 5’6 senior guard Mimi McCollister, and 5’8 junior guard Zyion Shannon took in the sight, appreciating their coach’s quiet victory. She had led them through an enchanted season, maneuvering and motivating them every step of the way. Now, they relished the fact that their hard work had given her this well-deserved moment of peace.

“Coach don’t talk about her story, but just from this moment, you could tell that she’s been through a lot and deserved this moment,” McCollister said to The Next over Zoom. “Of course, you see all types of stuff on social media, like comments and what they say about her from previous years, but she never let that bother her. I’m just happy for her all together, and to be part of that for her, to see that joy is something I’ll always remember.”

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Rogers’ moment of quiet victory stood in contrast to the energy she exuded during the postgame press conference following Arkansas State’s thrilling 86-79 overtime victory against James Madison in a riveting Sun Belt Championship on March 10. Speaking with quiet confidence while sporting a black T-shirt bearing the words “But God,” she took a deep breath before delivering a simple truth: “Nets aren’t free.”

No, they are earned — through grit, resilience, belief, and perseverance. They are built in the unseen moments: sharing meals in hotel conference rooms, bonding over long bus rides and late-night flights, and pushing through exhaustion in empty gyms. They are earned in the relentless drills, the trust built in huddles, the sacrifices no one sees, when the cameras aren’t rolling, when the crowd is gone, and when quitting is the easy choice, but the heart demands more.

These girls weren’t supposed to be dancing at all — not according to the preseason poll that pegged them 13th out of 14 Sun Belt programs back in October. But polls don’t measure heart. They don’t calculate the weight of a team’s hunger. They don’t account for team chemistry.

Preseason polls can be a source of motivation. And for Arkansas State, the polls were fuel. The Red Wolves masterfully used them as surges of inspiring energy during a memorable campaign that largely flew under the radar, and really took flight in January.

The Red Wolves never forgot the sting of that perceived preseason slight. They pressed on with purpose, understanding that hard work is the price of admission for the opportunity to snip nets.

“I’ll be honest, we didn’t too much care about [the preseason poll] because half the team is new,” Shannon said. “We like, this has nothing to do with us, so we were like, whatever.”

Nestled in the heart of the Arkansas Delta, the Red Wolves embody the very soul of Jonesboro — a steadfast town in the northeast corner of the state bound by a deep-rooted belief in rising against all odds, propelled by a relentless spirit that refuses to be broken, no matter the challenge that stands in their way.

Even with three key returners and a roster that had transformed worthy of an “America’s Next Top Model” glow-up with the addition of nine transfers, the outside world wasn’t convinced. But, for the Red Wolves? No matter. They knew their own worth. Despite being doubted, overlooked, and questioned, the Red Wolves locked in because they confidently believed this season would be one to cherish and one to prove they belonged.

“We were like, ‘y’all picked from what, three people returning to the team,” Rose shared. “But then we knew Coach would come in practice and tell us that she’s not bothered by it. Knowing her and the competitor she is, she didn’t like that, and we all are underdogs for that, and she’s still an underdog. I’m just glad she was able to prove her point.”

Peeling back the layers of this special Arkansas State team are stories of sacrifice, second chances, and an unshakable will to keep fighting. It’s why the Red Wolves played with giant chips on their shoulders all season. Through all the conditioning drills and those tough times when their legs felt like lead, Arkansas State’s players developed beliefs that refused to waver.

This championship was for everybody, but it meant even more for Rogers, who reflected on her arduous journey to the top. The players knew it without words; their celebratory looks after the final buzzer quietly acknowledged that everything had unfolded exactly as Rogers envisioned — seeds of faith, success, and tough love carrying the team to success.

At 35, Rogers is one of the country’s rising women’s basketball coaches. When the interim tag was removed from her title in 2022, South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley said in the hiring press release: “Destinee is a winner. Her impact will be felt on and off the court. I can’t wait to celebrate her accomplishments at Arkansas State.” 

Her journey at the helm of the program hasn’t been easy, but she’s remained persistent despite doubt, and has stayed true to her vision. Rogers is human, and acknowledges she has been hurt, frustrated and disappointed at times. Still, she hasn’t wavered in her faith, and she leans on it when times are tough, like when several players left the program at the end of last season’s 13-win campaign, which concluded with a seven-game losing streak.

“You see the negative things that’s being said,” Rogers said to The Next. “You know that you have a big mountain that you have to climb to find the right players. It was really hard. I don’t know if the word is doubtful, but I was down, like any human would be. I just trusted God through that moment … When I saw this team for the first time, I just knew it. I don’t know how to explain it to you, but I just knew they were all here for a reason… We believe in each other. We’re here for each other. They are loyal to me, and I’m sure as hell loyal to them because they have no idea what they did for me at a time of my life that was a struggle. I will forever appreciate every single one of these players and every single one of the staff.”

They grew stronger with each grueling practice, meticulous film session, and exhausting morning in the weight room. Step by step and rep by rep, the team’s confidence hardened into something unshakable.

A year ago at this time, the members of team were scattered across the country playing for other programs — some contemplating their future in the transfer portal, others sharpening their skills in grueling leagues or pushing their limits in the weight room instead of gathering together to watch the NCAA selection show. This Arkansas State squad wasn’t assembled overnight; it was, rather, constructed alongside adversity and shaped by relentless recruiting visits, countless conversations and an unyielding commitment to the grind.

The team today isn’t just made up of players preparing to compete in the NCAA tournament; these athletes form a destined sisterhood, each of whom arrived on campus with purpose. Their journeys intersected not by coincidence but by the quiet pull of fate. The Red Wolves may have shown up as strangers with statistics, but they became threads woven into the same unyielding spirit — each stitch reinforced by sacrifice, trust, and shared struggle.

“We took our time recruiting this team,” Rogers said. “We did a ton of visits and told some people no because we wanted to be super picky about who we brought in. It was not only important to us that we brought in the right players, but we wanted the right fit as well. There was no doubt in my mind that we killed it with this group.”

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Egos were checked, allowing the Red Wolves to bond through a competitive camaraderie. They united as a singular force. Beneath the bruises and exhaustion, they became the light for one another, remaining positive during deficits and challenging moments. The team’s positivity is its super power.

“When you get here, it’s a lot of love,” Shannon said to The Next. “It’s a college town, so it’s like home away from home, and you’re coming here with love around you. It’s going to feel comfortable … This is the closest we’ve all been on any team we’ve played on. Everybody is just so close. We’ve had a lot of good moments.”

Rogers immediately noticed something special during the new squad’s first pick-up game. Even with so many new faces, name tags weren’t needed; each player’s skill spoke loudly. Shannon recalls the enjoyable and intense games, highlighted by Kennedie Montue scoring the winning basket during the first scrimmage.

“Then we get to our first practice, and we try to make it as tough as we can to see how much we can test them and how tough they are,” Rogers said. “That first practice, you always want to see where your group is … They weren’t complaining. They competed and worked hard. It was probably the first time I walked away from a first practice from the summer smiling, feeling like we had a great day.”

The basketball part naturally fell into place because of how well the Red Wolves connected off the court.

Sure, Arkansas State led the nation in 3-pointers made per game (10.6) and attempts per game (32.5), but their success went deeper than statistics. The Red Wolves ranked third nationally in bench points per game (32.0), 28th in steals per game (10.7), 29th in turnovers forced (20.03), and 32nd in offensive rebounds per game (14.0). But none of these impressive numbers would have been possible without a genuine team-first mindset.

And because they bonded and put the team first, they were able to execute some record breaking moments. These include 20 made 3-pointers in a 60-point win over Mississippi Valley State, a 14-1 season record when making double-digit 3-pointers, and a remarkable 11-game winning streak from Jan. 2 to Feb. 8. These are just some of the many highlights of an unforgettable season for the Red Wolves, who can now laugh at those who underestimated them.

A national television audience saw everything that made the Red Wolves special during the Sun Belt Tournament championship game. During the game, Shannon continued thinking back to the early moments in practice when Rogers consistently gathered her team in a circle at mid-court and shared with her team that she believed they could hang a March Madness banner in its arena. It was something she never forgot.

Rose led five players in double figures with 23 points, McCollister stepped up with 16 pivotal points, and Anna Griffin, Wynter Rogers, and Montue each delivered key scoring performances. Arkansas State sealed their championship by calmly sinking 9-of-12 free throws in overtime. McCollister and Rose combined to score all 19 of Arkansas State’s fourth quarter points.

“This past season, I haven’t shot the ball great, like last year,” McCollister said. “I had a much better year shooting the ball, but at that moment, I knew what we needed, so I made sure I was patient. I took my time and did what I could for the team.”

During the five-minute overtime, Arkansas State created a lifetime of memories for themselves, family, and friends by bending the game to their will with big-time shot-making. Rogers likened Arkansas State beating JMU to David versus Goliath, since they were an overwhelming underdog entering the game. David, however, never had Rose’s clutch shooting, Shannon’s smooth ball-handling, or Montue’s lightning-quick hand (though he did have a powerful slingshot).

Most teams would’ve crumbled under the weight of James Madison’s 17-0 run like a sailboat battered by a storm. But Arkansas State was no ordinary vessel; rather, they were battleship forged to weather adversity, charge forward, and deliver blows.

The Red Wolves scored the final nine points of the second quarter to enter halftime down by eight points. They continued chipping away until consecutive 3-pointers from McCollister and Rose gave Arkansas State a 66-63 lead with 5:14 remaining.

“It’s great to be a part of a group and a team where you never see nobody down,” Rose said. “Even when we were down by 17 points, everybody was still positive and encouraging, telling each other, like this is still our game. That’s what helped us. We just got a lot of confidence in each other, and giving each other that little burst of support and encouragement was all we needed to get back into the game.”

While Arkansas State was shaken, it had proven it could take a solid punch, remain standing, and respond with composure and pressure. The moment James Madison inbounded the ball, the Red Wolves swarmed like a disrupted hive of wasps, with hands slashing at passing lanes and bodies closing off routes like slamming doors.

Slowly, the Red Wolves regained their equilibrium until their moment arrived.

When the moment finally came, and the nets were theirs to cut down, it wasn’t because of luck. It wasn’t a fluke. It was the inevitable reward for a team that refused to break, that refused to be defined by a number on a preseason poll. Nets aren’t free. Arkansas State paid for them in full.

“Coach told us from the beginning of the season that we had some special,” Rose said. “I feel like we all knew that. We believed in our program and each other. She told us we were a team of firsts for many different things. Every time we got a first or something, she told us there were many more firsts.”

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