Born: 1963 (Waterford, Michigan)
Gail Ann Goestenkors, born on February 26, 1963, is an American basketball coach who has made significant contributions to women’s college basketball throughout her career. She is best known for her coaching stints at Duke University and The University of Texas. Currently, she serves as an assistant coach for the Kentucky Wildcats women’s basketball team.
Goestenkors began her coaching career at Duke in 1992, where she remained until 2007. During her tenure at Duke, she achieved remarkable success and received recognition as the ACC Coach of the Year a record seven times in 1996, 1998, 1999, 2002, 2003, 2004, and 2007. One of her notable achievements came in the 2001-02 season, when she led the Blue Devils to the first undefeated regular season in ACC women’s basketball history, a feat she repeated twice more during her time at Duke in 2003 and 2007.
Over her final ten seasons at Duke, Goestenkors guided her teams to Sweet Sixteen appearances in the NCAA Tournament every year, seven Elite Eight appearances, four Final Four appearances, and two appearances in the NCAA Championship game. Under her leadership, Duke won five ACC tournament championships and eight ACC regular season titles. Goestenkors also holds the ACC record for the fewest games required to achieve 300 wins, which she accomplished in just 387 games.
In 2007, Goestenkors left Duke to replace the retiring Jody Conradt as the head coach at the University of Texas. However, she left Texas in 2012, citing fatigue. Despite her shorter tenure at Texas, Goestenkors contributed to the program’s success and continued her legacy as a respected and accomplished coach.
Born in Waterford, Michigan, Goestenkors attended Saginaw Valley State University, where she had the opportunity to play basketball under the guidance of future Purdue head coach Marsha Reall. After graduating in 1985, she began her coaching career as a graduate assistant coach at Iowa State before becoming an assistant coach at Purdue under Lin Dunn. In 1992, Goestenkors took the head coaching position at Duke, which marked the beginning of her remarkable career.
After leaving Texas, Goestenkors continued to stay involved in the basketball world. In the 2014-2015 season, she worked as an assistant coach for both the Indiana Fever and the Los Angeles Sparks of the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA). Her expertise and experience have allowed her to influence and inspire both collegiate and professional players and coaches.
Goestenkors’ remarkable accomplishments and contributions to women’s college basketball did not go unnoticed. In 2015, she was inducted into the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame, solidifying her place among the sport’s greatest individuals.
Awards:
– ACC Coach of the Year (1996, 1998, 1999, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2007)