Women's Basketball | 7/30/2015 12:00:00 PM

Romeoville, Ill. - The Gillespie legacy will continue both figuratively and literally at Lewis University.

Lewis University Director of Athletics Dr. John Planek announced on Thursday (July 30) that he has hired Kristen Gillespie as the 12th head women's basketball coach in school-history. Gillespie, who served as the head coach at Division III Benedictine for the past four seasons, is the granddaughter of coaching legend and former Lewis Director of Athletics, head basketball and baseball coach Gordie Gillespie.

"The name Gillespie at Lewis University is synonymous with coaching excellence and now Kristen will be able to add to that legacy," Planek said. "We feel that the success of our programs have made Lewis a very desirable destination for coaches.

"Her experience as a player and coach at multiple levels with a strong knowledge of the Chicagoland recruiting market made her a very formidable candidate," Planek continued. "We are very excited to welcome Kristen to our campus."

The significance of coaching at Lewis is not lost on Gillespie.

"I've known from a young age just how special Lewis is," Gillespie said. "To be able to coach at the University where my grandfather started his collegiate coaching career is extremely humbling.

"This was a position that I have dreamed of since I broke into the coaching profession," Gillespie continued. "I would like to thank Dr. Planek and the administration for giving me this incredible opportunity and the selection committee for making me feel so welcome during the entire process.

"I'm extremely honored and excited to take on this challenge."

Gillespie comes to Lewis after leading Benedictine to a record of 18-10 in 2015, which was the most wins by an Eagle squad since 2006. In four seasons, she recorded a mark of 54-53 (.505). She guided Benedictine to four-straight Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference (NACC) Tournament appearances and mentored eight Eagles to All-NACC accolades during her tenure. The Eagles were equally as proficient in the classroom as they registered a cumulative grade point average over 3.0 in each of her four seasons.

Prior to her arrival in Lisle, Gillespie spent two seasons as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator for the University of Illinois at Chicago from 2009-11, but her formative basketball acumen was developed at North Carolina State under legendary head coach Kay Yow.

Gillespie was a four-year letterwinner and three-year captain for the Wolfpack from 1996-99. As a junior, she was NC State's starting point guard on the 1998 NCAA Final Four squad and she was also selected as a Honorable Mention Academic All-American the following year as a senior.

Upon her graduation, Gillespie had brief stops as an assistant coach at both Central Florida (1999-2000) and UC Santa Barbara (2000-02), before returning to Raleigh to pursue her masters degree as a graduate assistant under Yow. During her tenure, NC State not only advanced to the NCAA Tournament, but Gillespie played a key role in recruiting a Top 20 recruiting class in the nation in 2004.

Once she had received her masters degree from NC State, Gillespie spent two years as a high school head coach at Maclay School (2005-07) in Tallahassee, Florida, before coming back to Raleigh.

Gillespie returned to Yow's staff, but as a full time assistant coach and co-recruiting coordinator for the Wolfpack. In 2008, NC State went 21-13 and advanced to the WNIT FInal Four. In that short span, Gillespie coached five players who played professionally, including a WNBA FIrst Round draft pick, and recruited the 2010 Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) Rookie of the Year.

Gillespie replaces Lisa Carlsen who was named the head women's basketball coach at Northern Illinois University earlier this month. She inherits a squad that went 31-3 and advanced to the 'Elite Eight' of the 2015 NCAA Division II Women's Basketball Tournament. The Flyers return a seasoned team that features All-Americans and former GLVC Players of the Year in seniors Jamie Johnson (South Holland, Ill./Marian Catholic) and Mariyah Brawner-Henley (Skokie, Ill./Niles North).

"Coach Carlsen did a tremendous job building this program into a national powerhouse and I look forward to the challenge of taking this program to even greater heights," Gillespie said. "I am looking forward to working with our student athletes, and watching them have success in the classroom, in the community and on the court.

"From day one, we will be building towards winning our first national championship."

The Gillespie File

School	Position	Location	Years
Benedictine University	Head Coach	Lisle, Ill.	2011-15
University of Illinois at Chicago	Assistant Coach/Recruiting Coordinator	Chicago, Ill.	2009-11
North Carolina State	Assistant to the Head Coach/Co-Recruiting Coordinator	Raleigh, NC	2007-09
	Graduate Assistant Coach		2002-04
Maclay (HS)	Head Coach	Talahassee, Fla.	2005-07
UC Santa Barbara	Assistant Coach	Santa Barbara, Calif.	2000-02
Central Florida	Assistant Coach	Orlando, Fla.	1999-2000

What They Are Saying About Kristen Gillespie
"Kristen Gillespie is a great hire because she is an excellent teacher and developer of talent, who comes from a legendary coaching tree.  Grandfather Gordie Gillespie, father Mike Gillespie and Head Coach Kay Yow have put Kristen in the position to sustain the high level of success created by most recent Lewis Head Coach Lisa Carlsen and expected by Lewis University.  She brings a wealth of coaching experience and has done a super job developing the Benedictine University program as a head coach.  Most importantly, Kristen Gillespie's former players all love her."
                                                                                                                                                                                            - Doug Bruno
                                                                                                                                                                                              DePaul University Head Women's Basketball Coach
                                                   
"Lewis is getting an excellent basketball coach, mentor and leader. The level of organization, attention to detail and care for the student-athlete is unmatched. Collegiate athletics can be broken down into two things - developing relationships and creating an excellent experience for the student-athlete. Kristen is one of the best in doing both that I have seen."
                                                                                                                                                                                            - Mark McHorney
                                                                                                                                                                                              Benedictine University Director of Athletics

"I worked with Kristen one summer when I did not have a WNBA team. She really helped me with my ball handling, skill development and really helped me take my game to another level and become more of a complete player."
                                                                                                                                                                                            - Allie Quigley
                                                                                                                                                                                              Chicago Sky Guard / 2014 WNBA Sixth Woman of the Year

"Congrats to Lewis University on hiring a terrific communicator, leader and coach. The best coaches in basketball are excellent teachers and students at the same time. Kristen Gillespie is a life long learner. Kristen will manage her program and players with a focused, dedicated plan to help them achieve success on and off the court. Based on the Gillespie Family history and success at Lewis, this is a Sports Illustrated story in the making!"
                                                                                                                                                                                            - Debbie Antonelli
                                                                                                                                                                                              Professional and Collegiate Women's Basketball National Television Analyst

"It's obvious that coaching runs deep in Kristen Gillespie's soul. However, it is much deeper and fuller than just X's and O's and recruiting. Her concern with the development of the total student-athlete will bring a fullness to the women's basketball program and department. Having played and coached under the tutelage of one of the greatest women's basketball coaches in history, Coach Kay Yow, and having a personal family history at Lewis, Kristen will also bring a rich perspective to the community of fans of Lewis. I am filled with excitement for her student-athletes, the prospects she will be recruiting to Lewis and for the future of Flyer Women's Basketball."
                                                                                                                                                                                            - Robin Pate
                                                                                                                                                                                              Director of Community Development
                                                                                                                                                                                              Kay Yow Cancer Fund

"I am thrilled for Dr. Planek, for Lewis University, and for Flyer Women's Basketball. Kristen Gillespie is a tireless recruiter who has a sincere passion for the game. Coach Gillespie's high basketball IQ and commitment to teaching will immediately impact her program in a positive way. Flyer fans should be extremely excited knowing that the Great Lakes Valley Conference just got even stronger!
                                                                                                                                                                                            - Allison Guth
                                                                                                                                                                                              Yale University Head Women's Basketball Coach