HFC welcomes new Women’s Basketball Coach Rashaun Hankins

Shaunie Hankins smiling and wearing a blue and white Henry Ford College Women's Basketball jacket.

Rashaun “Shaunie” Hankins is the newest addition to the HFC Hawks family. She is the new head coach of the HFC women’s basketball team.

“I am grateful for the opportunity to be in this position, and I will do whatever I can to make the program successful,” said Hankins.

First time as head coach at the college level

Hankins has been coaching for seven years. This is her first time as a college head coach. Last year, she was the HFC women’s basketball team assistant coach.

“As an assistant coach, I already had a bond with these young women, so when HFC Athletic Director Rochelle Taylor asked me if I wanted to take the position as head coach, I said yes. I want these young women to have someone they can be comfortable with and someone they know will look out for them,” said Hankins.

“I hired Coach Hankins to bring stability to our women’s basketball program. I have confidence that she will be able to recruit students who can be successful on and off the court. I believe she is up to the task of building a competitive program that we will all be proud of, and I look forward to supporting her in this new role,” said Taylor.

A gifted basketball player

The youngest of five, Hankins lives in Detroit with her son. At Chandler Park Academy High School in Harper Woods, Hankins was a member of the basketball, softball, track, and cross-country teams. She won numerous accolades and awards for athletics:

  • Most Improved Player, freshman year in basketball
  • Most Improved, freshman year in track
  • Defensive Player of the Year, junior year in basketball
  • Most Valuable Player, junior and senior years in softball
  • Most Valuable Player, senior year in basketball
  • Honorable Mention, Basketball Coaches Association of Michigan, senior year in basketball

Hankins continued her athletic career, playing basketball on a scholarship at Macomb Community College and later at the University of Olivet (then Olivet College) in Olivet. At MCC, she completed general studies coursework. Hankins earned her bachelor’s degree in criminal justice and sociology and anthropology at Olivet. She is working on her master’s degree in special education administration at Southeastern Oklahoma University and will graduate in 2025.

“I want to build this program to its fullest potential”

Hankins is a special education teacher at the Redford Service Learning Academy in Redford Township. This is her first year teaching, but she worked in the education field for two years prior as a multi-tiered systems support coordinator. She spoke about what inspired her to become a coach.

“I started coaching to give back to the game I loved and to stay close to the game. Basketball allowed me to meet so many amazing people and has given me so many opportunities. I wanted to help other players reach their goals like my coaches helped me,” explained Hankins. “The best part of being a coach is seeing the players enjoy the game that I love so much. I love developing relationships with the players and being the person these athletes know they can count on. It becomes more than a game or a team; it becomes a family.”

She continued: “I hope to bring a positive change to HFC’s women's basketball program and get the players to the next level so they can earn their bachelor's degree. I want to build this program to its fullest potential.”

Coach Hankins will host a Recruiting Day for the 2024 women's basketball team, including a tryout, on Tuesday, Feb. 20. Watch the HFC website events calendar for details.