Georgetown University Head Women’s Basketball Coach James Howard announced the promotion of Niki Reid Geckeler (C’93) to associate head coach on Friday. Reid Geckeler has been an assistant coach with the Hoyas for three seasons, but previously spent 11 years coaching the Blue & Gray.
“This is an appreciation and recognition of the extreme loyalty and hard work that Niki has given and will continue to give to Georgetown women’s basketball,” said Howard. “Niki has done a tremendous job in motivating and mentoring our ladies and holds a huge proponent of making sure that they are taken care of as a person first, which helps them academically, athletically, and as young women in the community.”
Reid Geckeler returned to Georgetown in 2017 after an outstanding playing career and coaching on the Hilltop. Last year, Georgetown boasted a mark of 19-16 overall going 9-9 in BIG EAST play and winning eight of its final 10 games. The team made history advancing to the BIG EAST Tournament semifinals, and made it to the Women’s National Invitation Tournament (WNIT) quarterfinals for the first time since 2009. Individually, Dionna White and Dorothy Adomako earned All-BIG EAST honors marking the fourth for both in their Georgetown careers.
In two years back on the Hilltop, she has been a part of teams that have posted two WNIT appearances as GU advanced out of the first round in both marking the first time since 2009. The Blue & Gray has also made two-straight trips to the BIG EAST Tournament semifinals. Over the past two years, she has coached four All-BIG EAST honorees as well as boasting the 2018 BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year in White and the 2018 BIG EAST Most Improved Player in Cynthia Petke.
Reid Geckeler came back to GU from Towson University, where she was the head coach for four seasons. At Towson, she coached five All-Colonial Athletic Conference (CAA) players, three members of the CAA All-Academic team, two members of the CAA All-Defensive squad as well as having one player named to the CAA All-Rookie Team. Off the court, she developed partnerships with the Maryland National Guard and the team was very active in the Baltimore community. During her tenure at Towson, Reid Geckeler had four players sign professional contracts to continue their playing careers overseas.
Reid Geckeler went to Towson from Howard University, where she had back-to-back 20-plus-win seasons and three postseason tournament appearances. Her associate head coach with the Bison was current Hoya coach James Howard.
Prior to Reid Geckeler’s first season with the Bison in 2008-09, Howard won just four games. In 2011-12, she compiled a 24-9 mark, tying the program’s all-time record for wins in a season. She amassed 85 career wins at Howard, including 44 in her final two seasons alone. Under her guidance, the Bison earned their first ever preseason WNIT berth and went to the postseason WNIT twice (2011, 2012) and the 2013 Women’s Basketball Invitational (WBI). Those were the first three postseason bids in program history.
She coached the 2010 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Rookie of the Year and the 2011 MEAC Player of the Year, as well as three first team all-league honorees. Reid Geckeler had a 100 percent graduation rate and eight student-athletes earned spots on the MEAC All-Academic team. In addition, seven players graduated magna cum laude.
Prior to her tenure at Howard, Reid Geckeler served an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at Georgetown (1996-2002; 2004-08) and as an assistant and associate head coach at Fordham (1995-96; 2002-04) where she coached a combined 11 conference all-academic team selections and one Rhodes Scholar finalist.
While at Georgetown, she signed the No. 6 recruiting class in the country in 2007-08 – a group that led the Hoyas to three NCAA Tournament berths. Reid Geckeler also guided Rebekkah Brunson, the BIG EAST Rookie of the Year in 2001, who plays for the WNBA’s Minnesota Lynx. Her 1999-2000 recruiting class was also ranked in the top 30. At Fordham, Reid Geckeler signed a top 50 recruiting class in 2003-04.
Reid Geckeler, a 1993 graduate of Georgetown with a bachelor’s degree in psychology, was a four-year starter at point guard for the Hoyas. She served as team captain and led Georgetown to the 1992-93 BIG EAST Conference co-championship and a berth in the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16. Reid Geckeler finished her career as a Hoya ranked in the top 10 for 3-point field goals made, 3-point field goal percentage, assists and games played.
Reid Geckler is married to Timothy Geckeler, a former football player at Rutgers, and they have a 10-year old daughter, MaKenzie. She resides in Waldorf, Maryland.
“I am extremely blessed and grateful to Coach Howard for naming me Associate Head Coach,” said Reid Geckeler. “Under Coach Howard’s leadership we have competed in back-to-back postseason berths, he is the only coach in GU history to achieve this feat in his first two seasons and as an alum I am very proud of these accomplishments. I am truly excited about the direction and future of the program as well as the opportunity to continue to support Coach Howard’s vision for success. I look forward to working hard with Coach Howard as we recruit, develop, mentor and inspire our young ladies to achieve success on the court, in the classroom and in our community.”
Photo Courtesy Georgetown Athletics
http://guhoyas.com/news/2019/10/3/reid-geckeler-named-womens-basketball-associate-head-coach.aspx
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