The fourth in a series of stories on the people behind-the-scenes of Indiana women's basketball. In this edition, assistant to the director of operations Briana Bass enters her second year in that role and has used her student-athlete experience to help the team become successful on and off the court.
Bass, now the assistant to the director of basketball operations for Indiana women's basketball, began working for IU in the Assembly Hall ticket office three years ago. It was a holdover job for Bass to make money while completing grad school at IU.
Bass spent four years playing basketball at Tennessee for Hall of Fame coach Pat Summitt. Word made its way around Assembly Hall that a basketball talent was helping sell tickets, and maybe she'd be able to give the coaching staff a hand.
"I literally had no intention of working with basketball until the day they approached me," Bass said. "The old coaching staff asked me if I would come over and help out because they needed more hands, and I figured it was a great opportunity. So I took it."
Bass went from selling tickets to being a part of the team virtually overnight. Her first official job title was "assistant video coordinator" before being named the assistant to the director of basketball operations.
Now entering her second full year in the position, Bass works closely with director of basketball operations Liz Honegger to keep the team in order.
When she's working, Bass has three schedules within her arms' reach between the one on her desk, the other on her computer and the third on her phone.
"Bree's great to work with because she's so on top of things," Honegger said. "She's a great person, and she's very organized. She's one of those people you really, really love working with."
Bass anticipates her role with the team to expand this season. She's helping manage the team's nutrition, among other things, on top of her regular operations duties.
Another one of her major responsibilities is recruiting and coaching IU's practice team. The Hoosiers practice against men during practice, many of whom were scouted and taken directly off courts at the HPER and SRSC.
"Those are my guys," Bass said. "I really do love working with them. I'll make sure they know exactly what they need to do to help the coaching staff during instruction whether it be a practice or scout-team thing."
Bass said she's enjoyed her time coaching the practice team, but she never anticipates becoming a coach herself. Having learned from Summitt as a player, Bass will often rely on her past experiences with the legendary coach to give the Hoosiers tips. Bass receives instruction from Hall of Fame coach Pat Summitt. There will be times in practice that head coach Teri Moren will ask Bass, "What would Pat do here? How would she attack this?" It's become a resource Moren is glad she's able to tap into.
"It's kind of nice to have that as a resource in Bree that I can use and go to her to get information from one of the best in the business—someone who I wanted to be growing up," Moren said. "It's an unexpected luxury. Toss in Bree's own basketball IQ, which is incredible, and you've got a lot of basketball smarts to rely on."
Bass said she enjoys working with athletics, but wants to remain in an administrative position.
She'd enjoy one day working as an Athletic Director at either a high school or a small college. She likes to feel involved in the daily schedules of a team and wants to continue to be able to connect with players both on and off the court.
Bass, 25, said she feels right at home in Bloomington. She feels almost like a big sister when she's around her players and tries to mentor them when she can.
She joked that she used to wish for a sister when she was a kid. Now, she feels like she has a whole team of them.
"I always wanted my parents to have one more kid so I could have a sister," Bass said. "Now I guess I have 13."
