As a player at Des Moines East High School, Markisha Wright posted an 86-7 (.925) record and led the Scarlets to an undefeated state championship her senior year.

In four years suiting up for Notre Dame, Wright helped the Irish notch a 147-10 (.936) mark and reach four Final Fours and three national championship games.

During Wright's first four years as a coach at Drake, the Bulldogs went 104-30 (.776), including a 67-5 (.930) record in Missouri Valley Conference play, and won three conference championships.

Over the last 12 years as a player and coach, Wright's teams have won 87.8 percent of their games. What's the commonality, besides Wright herself?

"I think everywhere I've gone, the people have loved basketball, loved to compete and loved where we were at," said Wright, now in her fifth year with the Bulldogs. "That's our culture at Drake, too. I think really being all in to something, that's when you really start to flourish and rise to the top."

Wright's journey to the top began at East, where she was the star player on the 2011 state championship team that featured six future Division I student-athletes. Wright led the Scarlets in points (16.3), rebounds (9.1) and blocks (1.8) as they posted a 26-0 record.

Scholarship offers rolled in, but Wright was a reluctant recruit.

"I was that kid who just wanted to play basketball and didn't really want to talk on the phone," she said. "It actually got to the point where my phone's mailbox got full, and I knew it was full, so
coaches couldn't leave me voicemails. But then they started calling my mom and she was like, 'You have to start talking to these people.'"

Wright wanted to replicate the closeness she felt with her teammates at East. She found what she was looking for at Notre Dame.

"I visited Notre Dame and really just fell in love with it," Wright said. "One of the biggest things was the family feel; it really felt like my high school team. I really liked the girls at Notre Dame and could vibe with them. I knew that was the feel I wanted. To this day, I go on trips with my teammates every year. They're my best friends. I will always cherish that opportunity."

Wright made an impact right away in South Bend, contributing to a Big East regular season title her freshman year and playing 19 minutes against Brittney Griner and Baylor in the NCAA championship game.

As a sophomore, Wright played a season-high 27 minutes in a winning effort against UConn in the Big East Tournament championship. Wright's performance was the latest example of her ability to deliver in the biggest moments.

Wright's knack for the clutch is best exemplified by her effort in the 2014 Final Four against Maryland. With All-American Natalie Achonwa sidelined due to injury, Wright filled in at center and played her best game of the year, posting season-highs with 12 points and nine rebounds as Notre Dame advanced to the championship game.

On Senior Night the following year, Wright recorded a season-best 14 points on a perfect 6-for-6 shooting in just 14 minutes. She made the ACC Academic Honor Roll and served as team captain for the Irish, who again advanced to the championship game.

Wright finished her college career with four conference tournament championships, four Final Four appearances and three national championship appearances. With a pedigree of that caliber, Wright had professional opportunities.

"I thought about playing professionally, but I knew I always wanted to be a coach," she said. "After Notre Dame I was looking forward to a basketball-free summer, but I got a call from my high school coach, Sam Powell, and he told me that Jennie Baranczyk had called and asked if I'd be interested in being a graduate assistant."

That's how Des Moines native Markisha Wright ended up as part of Des Moines' Hometown Team.

"I really do think Drake is Des Moines' hometown team," Wright said. "I think Drake basketball is going to continue to be good, especially under Jennie with what she's doing. I think we're going to keep raising the level."

After a year as a graduate assistant, Wright was promoted for the 2016-17 season to assistant coach, the title she holds today. Her promotion coincided with the beginning of arguably the best three-year run in school history.

Drake has won three-straight MVC regular-season titles for the first time in program history and just the fifth time in conference history. The Bulldogs have qualified for the NCAA Tournament
three times in that span. With a bid this season, Drake would make the NCAA Tournament for the fourth-straight year, a first in program history.

Perhaps Wright's success as a coach stems from her experiences as a player, which gives her a unique perspective on the sidelines.

"I can relate to the players because I was in their shoes," Wright said. "As a player, I never understood all the work that goes on behind the scenes. I still have a lot to learn and I really try to look up to and listen to our coaches here because they are so knowledgeable. I feel like I have so much to learn and great people to learn from, so that's really cool."

Even with all the winning she's done in her life, it's still the burning desire to be the best that drives Wright.

"I feel like it's day by day, just taking baby steps to be better as a person and at the position I'm in," Wright said. "I just want to win, and that's what we're doing at Drake."