Dani (McHenry) Schmidt, Washburn’s first All-American, is in her third season of her second stint on the Washburn coaching staff and fourth season overall. Schmidt was a graduate assistant coach during the 2006 season.
Schmidt played at Washburn from 2002-04 and earned All-America honors her final two years. She totaled 1,491 kills, the fifth most in school history and she’s ninth in career digs with 1,316. She’s one of seven Lady Blues to ever reach 1,000 kills and 1,000 digs in her career.
Schmidt also played basketball at Washburn under her father, head coach Ron McHenry, for four years. When she ended that career after the 2005-06 season, she helped the Lady Blues to a national championship and four MIAA titles.
Schmidt graduated in the summer of 2008 with a master’s degree in sports studies from Kansas and spent 2008 coaching Topeka Impact, an under-17 club team.
She works with all aspects of coaching the Lady Blues, including recruiting, travel arrangements and on-court coaching.
Schmidt earned her bachelor’s degree in business marketing management at Washburn in the fall of 2005 and married former Ichabod baseball player Jesse Schmidt in August 2006. The couple lives in Topeka with their son Cooper
