Benedictine University Athletics

Kristen Gillespie joined Benedictine Univeristy prior to the 2011-12 season. Her first position as a head coach at any level, she has guided BenU to an above-.500 record over four seasons at the helm. Additionally, she has coached eight all-conference players and three student-athletes to the NACC's all-freshman team.

Gillespie previously served as the top assistant women's coach and recruiting coordinator at NCAA Division I University of Illinois-Chicago since 2009. Before joining the UIC staff, she served as an assistant coach at North Carolina State in Raleigh, N.C., from 2007-2009. Her duties included scouting, recruiting and player development. Previously, Gillespie was an assistant coach at University of California-Santa Barbara and University of Central Florida. She was also the director of the Kay Yow Basketball Camps. 

Gillespie served as a graduate assistant at North Carolina State from 2002-04, where she earned her master's degree in Liberal Studies with a concentration in Marketing and Sports Administration. She played for the Wolfpack under head coach Kay Yow from 1996-99. She was named an Honorable Mention Academic All America, helped lead her team to a four-year record of 81-40 and was the captain and starting point guard on the 1998 Final Four team.
 

“It is my goal to strengthen the program and bring it to national prominence,” Gillespie said. “We will win both on and off the court, and we will do it in a first-class manner consistent with the mission of the University.”