Kentucky WBB assistant Gail Goestenkors retires from on-court coaching

Kyra Elzy is on the hunt for a third assistant coach.

On Tuesday morning, it was announced by the university that Kentucky women’s basketball assistant Gail Goestenkors will retire from on-court coaching effective immediately. Goestenkors spent the 2021-22 season on the sidelines for UK following a Hall of Fame career as a head coach of her own at Duke and Texas. She was hired at Kentucky in April 2021, joining fellow assistants Amber Smith and Niya Butts.

Goestenkors will not be leaving the program though, and a source tells KSR she is expected to assume the same role that Lin Dunn held during her time with the ‘Cats (special assistant to the head coach), which is more of an advisor position. Dunn is now the interim general manager of the WNBA’s Indiana Fever.

“Having Coach Goestenkors in our program for one year was instrumental in so many ways. Although her on-court involvement with our program has come to an end, we are elated that she will remain on our staff,” Coach Elzy said in UK’s press release. “Coach G will go down as one of the best coaches in our sport. She has impacted the women’s basketball community tremendously. I want to publicly thank her for her hard work and contributions to Kentucky women’s basketball. We will have significant shoes to fill and will start working on that right away.”

Brush those shoulders off, @gailgoes10!

After a Hall of Fame career, Coach G is retiring from on-court coaching.

Don't worry, #BBN! She is going to stay in our program in a off-court support role. https://t.co/3ecg5YMW3h pic.twitter.com/fgnSiIJW7p

— Kentucky WBB (@KentuckyWBB) June 14, 2022

Goestenkors retires from on-court after an incredible career that saw her inducted into the 2015 Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame. During her time with the Blue Devils from 1992 to 2007, she posted an incredible 396-99 record, leading Duke to 13 consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances that included three Elite Eight finishes, two Final Four finishes, and two NCAA Runners-Up finishes. Over her final 10 seasons with Duke, she led her teams to at least a Sweet 16 berth every single time.

“Coaching has been the gift of a lifetime. It’s hard to believe I’ve been coaching for over 30 years. What a fulfilling journey it’s been,” Goestenkors said in UK’s press release. “I have been blessed to work with so many amazing people. The friendships with colleagues and the relationships with players that I’ve forged throughout the years are the gifts I hold most dear. I would like to thank Mitch Barnhart, Kyra Elzy, and the entire WBB program for the opportunity to come to UK and assist in coaching, mentoring and building up the incredible young women who make up this program. It has been an honor and privilege to represent UK and become a part of Big Blue Nation. I cannot wait to spend more time with my friends and family in this new phase of my career.”

Goestenkors was named the ACC’s Coach of the Year seven times (1996, 1998, 1999, 2002–2004, 2007), the Naismith Coach of the Year and WBCA National Coach of the Year in 2003, and the AP Coach of the Year in 2007. Gostenkors eventually took a five-year break from coaching from 2015 until 2020 before joining Central Michigan staff for one season and then making the move to UK for another year.