Audrey Hull’s winning vision: Putting the Lady Wasps back on top

By Zack Pinter

 

Four years ago, Wasatch High School women’s basketball was a program searching for direction. Today it’s been transformed into one of the best teams in the state. The difference maker was Audrey Hull.

When Hull took over the girl’s basketball team at Wasatch High School, expectations were low. The Lady Wasps had talent, but they weren’t seen as a powerhouse. For years, they hovered in the middle of the pack, struggling to find their identity. Hull, a former collegiate player with a deep love for basketball stepped in as head coach in 2021. She had a vision, but she also knew change wouldn’t happen overnight - and it didn’t. 

Players like Brylee Smith and Mahala Speredon see Hull as more than a coach; they see her as a mentor who pushes them to be stronger athletes and individuals. The culture she’s established at Wasatch consists of resilience, hard work, selflessness and mental toughness. As women’s basketball continues to advance at the high school level, Hull has been a frontrunner, shaping a generation of confident and determined athletes.

 

The turning point

During Hull’s first season, the Wasps exceeded expectations but there was a lot of improvement to be made, finishing the season with an overall record of 9-15. They finished the next season with a record of 16-12. Now, after back-to-back 21-win seasons, something has become clear: Wasatch is no longer an underdog. 

And that has come with a new kind of pressure. 

The Wasps made it to the 5A state championship last year. This year the team got to the semis. 

Just a few years ago, seasons like these would have been unthinkable. Now, they’re the expectation. 

As the wins have mounted, every game has increased in importance. As state championships became actual possibilities, every decision Hull made carried more weight. And as the Wasps have ended the past two seasons with humblingly lop-sided losses — both times to the Bountiful Redhawks — Hull has faced the sorts of questions that underdogs don’t have to contend with. 

 

Finding her way

Despite her dedication to the game, coaching wasn’t a part of Hull’s original plan.

“I was actually interested in physical and occupational therapy, and I took some classes in health education,” Hull said. However, through one of her classes, she had to go to a junior high as an assistant coach. According to her, this is where she fell in love with it and decided this was what she wanted to do.

She began applying to jobs in Utah and Idaho, and one day, Wasatch rang, asking her to come in for a job interview. They said, “We’re 15 minutes from Park City,” Hull replied, “I’ll be there.” 

Since her arrival, she has pursued a career in coaching both men’s and women’s teams with an impressive resume. As the head coach role for the women’s team since 2021, Hull has a record of 66-36. This season, Wasatch finished 19-3, winning 5A Region 7. 

“A lesson Coach Hull’s taught us is to work hard and stay humble through the process,” junior Brylee Smith said. “She always makes sure we are ready to go and teaches us to give it our all, and it will pay off.”

 

Coaching beyond the game

With success came expectations. Suddenly, every game mattered more, and every decision Hull made carried weight. In last year’s state championship game against Bountiful, she faced a defining moment. While being down in one of the most important games of her coaching career, there was a choice to be made. Either focus on the score and be upset or teach them a lesson they would carry beyond this season. It’s not just about one game, it’s about building a program rooted in resilience, unity, and long-term success. This would be an easy moment for her to break but what was more important is that she and her girls are “family.” 

 

A program built to last

Now, Hull isn’t just leading a competitive team, she’s leading one of the best in the state. However, for Hull, it’s about more than trophies.

“I’d love for my team to win a state championship, but more than that, I want them to have a great experience, stay close, and learn how to work hard and be great teammates,” Hull said.

Her players accompany this attitude. 

Sophomore Mahala Speredon said, “I know Coach Hull really cares about me individually because she’s a teacher at the school and will talk to me about my personal life. But she also really cares about our team and pushes us to stay together and hold the rope.”

Hull’s influence extends far beyond the court, shaping young athletes into strong, driven individuals. Multiple of her players have gone on to pursue missions and raise families, something Hull is very fond of. 

“I really love seeing what they've done in their life and what great people they've become,” she said.

Preparing for games with a mix of dancing and hype songs like "Flex" and "Umbrella," it’s clear that the culture she’s built at Wasatch is about more than just basketball. The Lady Wasps now enter every season with high expectations, but their foundation is deeper than wins and losses. 

As Hull often reminds them, “Lessons learned are more important than championships won.” And that may just be the secret to Wasatch’s success.