FMU names Kate Glusko as new Women’s Basketball Coach
FLORENCE, SC – Francis Marion University athletic director
Murray Hartzler announced the hiring of Kate Glusko as the
university’s new head coach for women’s
basketball. The announcement was made at a news conference at
the Cottage on the FMU campus.
Glusko, 25, replaces Heather Macy, who left FMU to accept the head
coaching position at East Carolina University after three seasons
on the Patriot bench. Glusko becomes the 11th head coach in
the storied history of the Francis Marion program, and the youngest
new coach since Sylvia Rhyne Hatchell took over the coaching reigns
as a 23-year-old in 1975.
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The State College, Pa., native comes to Francis Marion after two
seasons as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at Gannon
University in Erie, Pa. This past season, the Lady Knights
were 37-1, advanced to the NCAA Division II Final Four, and ended
the year ranked second in the national Top 25 poll. The 37
victories set a Division II record for wins in a season and most
consecutive wins (37) in a single season. Gannon also won the
PSAC championship and was ranked No. 1 for six weeks.
In 2008-09, Gannon was 26-5, advanced to the round of Sweet
Sixteen in the NCAA Tournament, was ranked 20th in the final Top 25
poll, and was 12th in the WBCA Top 25 Honor Roll with a 3.497 team
grade point average.
Prior to joining the Lady Knights’ staff, Glusko served as
an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at Concord University
for two seasons. Concord posted records of 20-9 in 2007-08
and 21-9 in 2006-07, the first time the program registered
back-to-back 20-win seasons.
During her four seasons as an assistant coach, she helped develop
two All-Americans, 14 All-Conference selections, and seven players
who reached the 1,000-point plateau. Her teams posted a combined
104-24 record.
“This is an exciting day for Francis Marion University and
Patriot women’s basketball,” Hartzler said.
“We are thrilled to welcome coach Glusko to Florence and the
FMU campus. Her hiring is the culmination of a search that included
a highly qualified list of candidates. She is a rising star
in the coaching profession, and she exhibits all the
characteristics we were looking for.”
“I am extremely thankful for the opportunity to become a
part of the Francis Marion University family,” Glusko
said. “I want to thank (FMU president) Dr. Carter,
athletic director Hartzler, and the administration for the chance
to lead the Patriot women’s basketball team. Francis
Marion is a great university with an athletic program that competes
in the highly competitive Peach Belt Conference – what more
could I ask for.
“This program has a rich tradition on the national
stage. My goal is to build on the foundation that Heather
Macy and past coaching greats have built – to continue to
field a Top-25 program that contends for the national
championship. The women’s basketball program has
experienced tremendous support through the past few seasons, from
the president, faculty, staff, alumni, and the Florence community.
I look forward to cultivating this aspect even deeper as we enter
the 2010-11
campaign.”
Glusko is a 2006 graduate of West Virginia University, where she
earned the bachelor of business administration degree in management
(cum laude). As a 5-10 guard, she played on the 2003-04 WVU
squad that was 21-11 and advanced to the NCAA Tournament and the
2004-05 team that was 21-13 and appeared in the championship game
of the WNIT. She suffered season-ending injuries as a
freshman and senior. In the classroom, Glusko was a two-time
Big East Academic All-Star and a four-time WVU Athletic Director
honor roll member.
She later earned the master’s of education degree in
behavioral science while at Concord.
She is a product of State College (Pa.) High School, where she was
a two-time All-State performer. She set the school’s
all-time scoring record with 1,630 points, while scoring in double
figures 60 consecutive games and leading the Lady Little Lions to
an 85-22 record and four straight appearances in the Pennsylvania
State Quad-A Championships.
Glusko is a member of the Women’s Basketball Coaches
Association (WBCA). She will begin an immediate search to
fill out her FMU staff.
The Francis Marion program has an all-time record of 750-354 in 37
seasons. The Patriots have captured two national
championships, the 1982 AIAW Division II title and the 1986 NAIA
title, and also advanced to the 1998 NCAA Division II Final
Four. The program made five straight NCAA Division II
Tournament appearances between 1997 and 2001, in addition to
appearances each of the past three seasons.
Francis Marion lost five seniors from this past season’s
27-5 squad ended the year ranked 20th nationally, and made the
program’s third consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance.
The Patriots were 16-2 in Peach Belt Conference play, placing
second in the East Division standings.
PAST FRANCIS MARION UNIVERSITY WOMEN’S BASKETBALL HEAD
COACHES
Name
Years
Record at FMU
Gayle
Baker
1973-74 (1
year)
16-4
.800
Sherril
York
1974-75 (1
year)
11-11
.500
Sylvia Hatchell
1975-86 (11
years)
272-80
.773
Trudi M.
Lacey 1986-88
(2
years)
53-12
.815
Sherri A. Tynes 1988-90
(2
years)
43-16
.729
Steven M. Garber 1990-95 (5
years)
63-77
.450
Wes
Moore
1995-98 (3
years)
69-20
.775
Lee Buchanan
1998-2002 (4
years)
92-29
.760
Valecia Tedder
2002-07 (5
years)
56-86
.394
Heather
Macy
2007-10 (3
years)
75-19
.798