Knoxville, TN – Former Duke women’s basketball head coach Gail Goestenkors was officially inducted into the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame Saturday evening at the Tennessee Theatre in Knoxville, Tenn.
Joining Goestenkors in the hall’s latest class were four-time Olympic gold medalist Lisa Leslie, former Houston Comets star Janeth Arcain, University of Georgia standout Janet Harris, longtime Oregon high school coach Brad Smith and Oklahoma State coach Kurt Budke, who was killed in a plane crash in 2011.As a collegiate head coach, Goestenkors compiled a 498-163 record for a 75.3 winning percentage. Goestenkors collected a 396-99 overall record with the Blue Devils from 1992-2007 and guided Duke to four NCAA Final Four appearances, including the 1999 and 2006 national championship game.
She received recognition as the ACC Coach of the Year a record seven times (1996, 1998, 1999, 2002, 2003, 2004, and 2007). In the 2001-02 season, Goestenkors led the Blue Devils to the first undefeated regular season in ACC women’s basketball history — a feat she would repeat two other times during her tenure at Duke (2003, 2007).
During her final 10 seasons at Duke, Goestenkors led the Blue Devils to NCAA Tournament Sweet Sixteen appearances every year, seven Elite Eight appearances, four Final Four appearances, and two appearances in the NCAA Championship game. During her tenure, her teams won five ACC tournament championships and eight ACC regular season titles.
Goestenkors earned the 2003 WBCA and Naismith National Coach of the Year awards, while earning the 2006 WBCA Carol Eckman Award and the 2007 Associated Press National Coach of the Year.
As an assistant coach for the USA National team, she guided the United States to two gold medals in 2004 and 2008. She was also the head coach of the USA U19 team at the 2005 World Championship that won the gold medal. Goestenkors was named the 2005 USA Basketball Coach of the Year
She played collegiate basketball for Saginaw Valley State leading them to a team record of 114-13. Goestenkors was an NAIA All-American and was inducted into the Saginaw Valley State Hall of Fame in 2010.