Gary Redus II has been named Rutgers women’s basketball head coach, Director of Athletics Keli Zinn announced Monday. Redus brings championship pedigree to the Scarlet Knights after spending the past four seasons as an assistant coach at LSU, where he helped the program capture its first national championship in 2023.
“We are thrilled to welcome Gary and his family to Rutgers,” said Zinn. “Having worked with him previously, I’ve seen firsthand the energy, commitment, and competitive mindset he brings to coaching. Coach Redus is well known as one of the top recruiters in the country, with an exceptional ability to create relationships and attract elite talent. He is an outstanding teacher of the game with a reputation for developing student-athletes to reach their fullest potential. Coach Redus knows what it takes to build and sustain a championship program, and I’m confident he will restore the proud tradition of Rutgers women’s basketball and reenergize our passionate fan base.”
“I am honored and grateful for the opportunity to be the next women’s basketball coach at Rutgers University,” said Redus. “I am no stranger to the rich history of basketball here at Rutgers and I look forward to building on that legacy as we move the program forward. I’d like to thank Keli and President Tate for their vote of confidence in me and the vision we share for the future of this program. My family and I are extremely excited to fully immerse ourselves in this community and work tirelessly to elevate our women’s basketball program back to an elite level.”
Widely regarded as one of the top recruiters in the country, Redus was named to the WBCA’s prestigious “Thirty Under 30” list in 2020. Redus has built a reputation for identifying elite talent throughout his coaching career. He helped LSU assemble nationally ranked recruiting classes during his time, including a pair of unanimous No. 1 classes in 2023 and 2025.
Redus joined head coach Kim Mulkey’s staff at LSU prior to the 2022-23 season and spent four seasons in Baton Rouge. He was instrumental in helping to guide the program’s rise to national prominence, contributing to the historic 2023 NCAA Championship run and back-to-back Elite Eight appearances during the 2023-24 and 2024-25 seasons.
In his first season at LSU, Redus made an immediate impact as the Tigers landed ESPN’s top-ranked recruiting class that fall. He worked closely with the team’s guards, developing a dynamic backcourt that directed the offense, scored at all three levels and defended at a high level. LSU emerged as one of the nation’s most explosive teams during that season, leading the SEC in scoring and ultimately capturing the 2023 national title.
Before joining LSU, Redus spent one season as an assistant coach at SMU, helping guide the Mustangs to 14 wins. Prior to his time in Dallas, he was on the sideline for three seasons at Vanderbilt under current Indiana Fever head coach Stephanie White. While with the Commodores, Redus established himself as one of the SEC’s top recruiters, helping sign the program’s first trio of top-100 prospects since 2016.
Redus began his collegiate coaching career at Delta State, a perennial Division II power in Cleveland, Mississippi. There, he worked under longtime head coach Craig Roden at the program founded by Margaret Wade, the namesake of the NCAA Division I Women’s Player of the Year award.
Before entering coaching, Redus played four seasons of professional basketball overseas with stops in China, South America and the Middle East. He later served as a graduate assistant at West Georgia, where he earned a master’s degree in special education.
A former standout at South Alabama, Redus averaged nearly 10 points per game during his career and was a two-time Sun Belt Conference All-Academic Team selection. He earned his bachelor’s degree in health education from South Alabama in 2011.
Redus comes from a family with a strong sports background. His father, Gary Redus, played 13 seasons of Major League Baseball.
Redus and his wife, Tiffany, have two children, son, Gio, and daughter, Ella.
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