Maryland coach Brenda Frese gives intense coaching moment to Oluchi Okananwa
March invokes the most intense of emotions from players and coaches alike. Star Maryland guard Oluchi Okananwa has told her coach, Brenda Frese, she expects nothing less than the most impassioned direction. So in the third quarter of what became a 74-66 second-round NCAA Tournament loss to No.
4 seed North Carolina, the broadcast showed a clip of Frese unloading on her guard. In a span of three minutes, Okananwa had a travel, went 1 of 4 on free throws, and missed a layup before getting subbed out. Inches from Okananwa’s face, Frese delivered a vehement oratory to the junior.
Some intense coaching from Maryland coach Brenda Frese to her star player Oluchi Okananwa 👀 pic. twitter. com/uP7fwHSFZX — The Sporting News (@sportingnews) March 22, 2026 Among the roughly 11 seconds shown on the broadcast, common lip-reading could pick up one prevailing sentiment near the end of Frese’s diatribe for Okananwa.
“I believe in you,” the longtime Terrapins coach could be seen saying. “But you gotta want this moment. ” It’s exactly the coaching the first-team All-Big Ten guard has asked for.
It’s a visceral reflection of her own internal passion. “Coach understands I’m a competitor at heart,” Okananwa said postgame. “I’ve told her this before, and I’ll keep on telling her this forever.