12 women's college basketball coaches to watch in 2024-25

The sidelines will look very different for some programs this season in women's college basketball for the first time in a long time.

Kate Paye (Stanford) and Jan Jensen (Iowa) spent a combined 41 years as assistants at their respective schools before becoming head coaches. Meanwhile, Kim Caldwell spent one season in Division I before Tennessee hired her to take over one of college athletics' most storied programs.

That's the dramatic contrast to three of the most striking changes for the 2024-25 season. Paye replaced Tara VanDerveer, who retired after 38 seasons and three national championships at Stanford. Jensen took over for Lisa Bluder, who retired after 24 seasons, the last two ending in the national championship game.

VanDerveer's absence is the most significant change, considering she is the winningest coach of all time in Division I basketball (UConn's record-setting coach, Geno Auriemma, is expected to die later this month).

Paye played for VanDerveer at Stanford before joining her team. Jensen played for Bluder at Drake before both left to coach at Iowa in 2000. Now, after a long time of paying off their debts, Paye and Jensen are in charge.

With the season just starting this week, let's look at both sides of the coaching coin. First, those who are in new roles or on new programs and hoping to make an immediate splash. But also those whose current tenure may be coming to an end depending on how this season plays out.

Will they be hits?

Kenny Brooks, Kentucky Wildcats

Brooks has a background in program development, first at his alma mater James Madison (14 seasons) and then at Virginia Tech (eight seasons). He replaces Kyra Elzy, who was fired after going 61-60 overall and 23-40 in the Southeastern Conference in four seasons at Kentucky.

Brooks' Hokies reached the Final Four in 2023 for the first time in program history. He will try to do the same for Kentucky, which has made it to the Elite Eight four times.

Kim Caldwell, Tennessee Lady Vol

Tennessee fired graduate student Kellie Harper, who went 108-52 overall and 53-24 in the SEC in five seasons, and opted for an unconventional hire in Caldwell. She has one year of Division I coaching experience and posted a 26-7 record at Marshall last season.

Previously, Caldwell won a Division II national title at her alma mater, Glenville State, in 2022. She brings a blistering pace on offense and defense to Tennessee. Can it work in the SEC? We'll find out.

Tricia Cullop, Miami Hurricanes

Katie Meier retired after 19 seasons with the Hurricanes, including an Elite Eight trip in 2023. Cullop began her college coaching career as an assistant at Radford in 1993. She has been the head coach since 2000 and spent eight seasons in Evansville and 16 in Toledo, with the Rockets winning the 2011 WNIT title. So that's a lot of experience before you get your first job at a big conference.

Megan Duffy, Virginia Tech Hokies

Brooks' departure disappointed many Hokies fans, but a new era is now beginning in Blacksburg. Duffy is a former Notre Dame player who had a winning record in all five seasons at Marquette and made three NCAA Tournament appearances.

After two of Virginia Tech's most successful players left – Elizabeth Kitley to the WNBA and Georgia Amoore to Kentucky – Duffy's first season has a roster full of freshmen and sophomores.

Jan Jensen, Iowa Hawkeyes

Jensen was with Bluder every step of the way at Iowa for nearly a quarter century, playing a big role in every part of the program. Jensen is particularly well respected for developing post players. With Caitlin Clark, Kate Martin and Gabbie Marshall moving on, the Hawkeyes can lean on the experience of players like Hannah Stuelke and Sydney Affolter. Not much should change in the way Iowa plays.

Kate Paye, Stanford Cardinal

A former guard, she played for VanDerveer's 1992 NCAA title team and was an assistant on the 2021 championship squad. Paye has a law degree and a master's in business administration from Stanford University and also played in the WNBA. She returned to her alma mater as an assistant in 2007 and helped lead the Cardinals to nine Final Four appearances.

Paye faces a major challenge that VanDerveer hasn't overcome: Stanford's move to the ACC. We'll see how different (or not) the Cardinal might look with Paye at the helm.

Shawn Poppie, Clemson Tigers

He spent six seasons as an assistant to Brooks at Virginia Tech, then the last two as head coach at Chattanooga, where he went 48-18 and won two Southern Conference titles. Clemson's best era was 1987-2002, when the Tigers made 14 NCAA Tournament appearances under Jim Davis. Clemson has made the NCAA only once since then: in 2018 under Amanda Butler, who was fired after last season.

Poppie's challenge: to restore the Tigers in a state where South Carolina has become one of the best programs in all of college sports.

Will that be it?

Joanna Bernabei-McNamee, Boston College Eagles

All seven of the program's NCAA Tournament appearances came from 1999 to 2006 under Cathy Inglese. Bernabei-McNamee has posted two winning records in her six seasons but is 36-65 in the ACC.

Krista Gerlich, Texas Tech Lady Raiders

Gerlich, a starting player on Texas Tech's 1993 national championship team, is in her fifth season at her alma mater and is 20-52 in the Big 12. The Lady Raiders have struggled since the retirement of coaching legend Marsha Sharp in 2006: They have had ever since four coaches and just two NCAA tournament appearances.

Ronald Hughey, Houston Cougars

Unlike the Houston men's team, the school's women's team has had little success: five NCAA Tournament appearances, the last in 2011. Hughey took over in 2014 and has compiled three winning records in 10 seasons. His contract runs until this season.

With Houston's promotion to the Big 12 last year, can the program become worthy of a major conference? Will this require a change of coach?

Joe McKeown, Northwestern Wildcats

This is McKeown's 17th season at Northwestern, and the Wildcats have made the NCAA Tournament twice during his tenure. They would have been there in 2020 if the tournament had not been canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. That was McKeown's best season with the Wildcats, going 26-4. Over the last two seasons, they were 18-42 overall and 6-30 in the Big Ten.

Robin Pingeton, Missouri Tigers

This is Pingeton's 15th season at Mizzou and her contract expires in April. The Tigers' four NCAA Tournament appearances during their tenure came in 2016-19, during the career of current Phoenix Mercury player Sophie Cunningham. In the five seasons since graduating, Mizzou has posted a 25-53 record in the SEC.