NORMAL, Ill. – Illinois State women's basketball coach Kristen Gillespie has signed a contract extension through the 2029-30 campaign, Illinois State Director of Athletics Dr. Jeri Beggs announced Tuesday.
Gillespie has guided the Redbirds to five consecutive postseason appearances, which includes a trip to the 2022 NCAA Tournament. It is just the second time in the NCAA era that Illinois State has earned a postseason bid in at least five consecutive seasons. With a 22-12 record this year, Gillespie has led the Redbirds to three consecutive seasons of 20-plus wins for the first time since 2008-09 to 2010-11. It is the second-longest active streak of 20-win seasons in program history and the longest active streak of 20-win seasons among all DI women's teams in the state of Illinois.
Earlier this season Gillespie won her 145th game at the helm of Illinois State, moving into second on the program's all-time wins list. She has led Illinois State to a 155-94 overall record and a 98-52 MVC record since taking over in 2017.
"I am very excited to have my contract extended through 2030," Gillespie said. "Illinois State is a special place, and I appreciate the support that our program receives from President Tarhule, Dr. Jeri Beggs and Leanna Bordner. I'm incredibly proud of all we have accomplished on the court, in the community and in the classroom. Go Birds!"
The 2023 MVC Coach of the Year, Gillespie guided Illinois State to the program's first Missouri Valley Conference regular season title since 2010. Illinois State finished the 2022-23 season with a 24-9 overall record, which included 17 MVC victories – the most MVC wins for the Redbirds in a season since 1984-85.
Since 2020-2021 the Redbirds lead all women's basketball programs in the state of Illinois with 103 total wins and a 64.8 winning percentage. Since the start of the 2019-2020 campaign, the Redbirds are 45-10 against in-state foes and 25-2 vs in-state foes inside CEFCU Arena. That includes a 10-1 mark against in-state foes this year, which improved the Redbirds to 24-2 against in-state teams over the last three seasons.
"Kristen has made a tremendous impact on Illinois State University, Redbird Athletics and our women's basketball program." Beggs said. "I am excited that she will be representing our university for many years to come. What she's been able to accomplish over the past eight years is a testament to what can happen when you bring together the right people, coaching staff and student-athletes, and have the commitment from the University and the community to elevate women's basketball. I can't wait to see what the future looks like under Kristen's leadership."
When Gillespie was brought on in 2017, the team was coming off three-straight single-digit win seasons and a 2-28 campaign in 2014-15. Gillespie turned in Illinois State's first winning season in six years in her second season, went on to post back-to-back 19-win campaigns during the 2018-19 and 2019-20 seasons before finally earning an invitation to the WNIT in 2021, the Redbirds' first postseason appearance in eight years. 2025 marked Illinois State's fourth bid to the WNIT under Gillespie.
Gillespie has coached 16 All-MVC selections at ISU including four MVC Newcomers of the Year (Simone Goods, TeTe Maggett, Juliunn Redmond, Paige Robinson), an MVC Sixth Player of the Year (Redmond), an MVC Most Improved Player (Mary Crompton), a two-time MVC Scholar-Athlete of the Year (Crompton), a MVC Tournament Most Outstanding Player (Redmond) and most recently a MVC Jackie Stiles Player of the Year (Robinson). Robinson also became the first Illinois State women's basketball player to be selected in the WNBA Draft in program history, when she was selected in the third round, 31st overall, by the Dallas Wings in 2023.
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