Head coach
Joy McCorvey announced the addition of Kiah Gillespie, former Marist women's basketball assistant coach and a 2020 WNBA draft selection, as an assistant coach on her staff on May 9, 2024.
In her first season with the Seawolves, Stony Brook posted a 12-18 overall record (7-11 CAA), earning the No. 12 seed in the CAA Championship. Gillespie was a key factor in the development of the forwards on the Stony Brook squad, accounting for 29.8 percent of scoring output and 58.8 percent on combined rebounds.
Gillespie came to Long Island following two seasons at Marist, where she helped the Red Foxes to 18 wins and back-to-back MAAC Tournament appearances in her first seasons as a collegiate coach. Gillespie specialized in collaborating exclusively with post players, helping forward Zaria Shazer earn back-to-back All-MAAC honors.
Prior to Marist, the Connecticut native began her coaching journey with the Sports Medical Sciences Academy in Hartford as the Head JV Coach and Assistant Varsity Basketball Coach.
A standout collegiate player, the forward began her career at Maryland and played for the Terrapins from 2015-17. She appeared in 66 games and averaged 4.6 points and 2.8 rebounds per game. In her two seasons with Maryland, the Terps posted a 63-7 overall record, capturing two Big Ten titles and back-to-back trips to the NCAA Tournament.
Following her time in College Park, Gillespie joined Florida State in 2017. After redshirting her first season and only playing with the team for their 2017 Foreign Tour in Spain and Italy, the forward made her presence felt in her first full season of action during the 2018 slate.
She became the first Seminole ever to lead her team in points per game (16.2), rebounds per game (9.3) and three-point field goals made (53). She also registered top-10 single season marks for points (7th – 533), field goals made (9th – 212), rebounds (3rd – 307) and double-doubles (2nd – 13) with the Seminoles. She was top-10 in the ACC in scoring (10th), rebounding (4th), defensive rebounds (3rd), double-doubles (T-4th), 20-point games (T6th) and 10-rebound games (4th).
Gillespie came back the next season and continued to dominate during her final year. At the end of the season, the forward ranked top-10 in ACC play in scoring (15.6), rebounding (7.7), field goal percentage (44.2) and defensive rebounds (5.7). She recorded nine 20-point games, 15 double-digit rebound games and 12 double-doubles. In eight contests against nationally ranked opponents she averaged 21.0 points, at a 52.6 percent clip overall and 41.9 percent from downtown, with 10.3 rebounds per game.
During her career with the Seminoles, Gillespie earned numerous achievements and accolades. The forward was twice named All-ACC First Team (third Seminole to receive multiple All-ACC First Team selections in her career, joining Natasha Howard and Shakayla Thomas), a three-time ACC Player of the Week, ACC All-Tournament Team honoree, a two-time All-American, a 2020 ESPNW Top 20 Player Overall, a 2020 Katrina McClain Award Top 5 Finalist and was named to the 2019-20 Naismith Trophy Watch List. Off the court, Gillespie earned her Bachelor of Science in Social Science from Florida State.
After her stints at Florida State and Maryland, Gillespie was drafted 32nd overall to the Chicago Sky in the 2020 WNBA Draft. She continued her playing career overseas in Toulouse, France.
A graduate of Capital Prep Magnet, the forward dominated in high school and finished as the No. 14 overall player by Prospect Nation as well as the No. 2 player at her position. She was named a 2015 McDonald's All-American, earned Connecticut Gatorade Player of the Year twice, and totaled 2,208 career points.
