Northeastern University Athletics

Head Coaching Record

Kelly Cole, a coaching veteran with more than two decades of experience and three NCAA regional semifinal appearances, begins her seventh season as the head coach of the Northeastern women’s basketball team during 2020-21. Cole has elevated Northeastern to new heights during her tenure on Huntington Avenue, establishing a winning culture that has led to numerous program records and the first-ever WNIT appearance in program history in 2019. The Huskies have made two straight NCAA postseason appearances (2018, '19) heading into the 2020-21 campaign (No postseason tournaments in 2019-20 due to Coronavirus, COVID-19), breaking a 19-year drought. Coach Cole's 80 career wins is one shy of third all-time in Northeastern history.

The Huskies have finished inside the top four of the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) standings in two of the last three seasons under Cole's direction, matching the highest finish since joining the CAA in 2004-05. NU's 46 CAA regular-season wins over the last five seasons are the fifth-best among league membership and the finest run for the Huskies over the 15 years inside the CAA. NU's five straight appearances in at least the CAA quarterfinals is the best stretch in school history.

Northeastern has produced 12 CAA award recognitions during Coach Cole's guidance, including two-time All-CAA first team selection Jess Genco, NU's all-time record holder in assists (548), 3-pointers made (298) and minutes played (4,687). Samantha DeFreese is a two-time All-CAA performer (1st team in 2016, 3rd team in '15), Francesca Sally garnered second-team accolades in 2017 and Alexis Hill was named to the All-CAA second team in 2020. Claudia Ortiz earned a pair of All-CAA third team honors in 2017 and '18, and three players have been named to the CAA All-Rookie Team; Stella Clark (2018), Jess Genco (2016) and Gabby Giacone (2016). Shannon Todd became the the first-ever player in school history to earn the distinguished Dean Ehlers Leadership Award.

The Huskies continue to play top 25 non-conference schedules in the country, year in and year out. Northeastern took on mid-major No. 1 and No. 11 in the country South Dakota to start the 2019-20 season, and followed that game up with a trip to Eugene, Oregon to take on the top-ranked Oregon Ducks. Northeastern picked up its first win over a Power 5 opponent in the CAA era during the 2018-19 season, defeating the SEC's Florida, 79-66, in Gainesville on Nov. 28th, and earned wins over conference champions Maine (America East) and Fordham (Atlantic-10) over the course of that record-setting 9-0 start and matched the program's best winning streak at nine. The Huskies went on to win 20 games that season, the first 20-win season in over two decades.

Cole arrived at Northeastern after spending two years as an assistant coach at Harvard. An accomplished coach, she helped lead the Crimson to a 43-17 record, including a 22-6 mark in Ivy League play, and two WNIT appearances (2013, 2014). During the 2013-14 season, Harvard registered the second most wins in program history (22) and became the first Ivy League program to earn an at-large berth into a postseason tournament, advancing to the second round of the WNIT for the second consective year. Cole aided in the development of Temi Fagbenle, an All-Ivy First Team selection that led the conference in rebounding.
 
Prior to coaching at Harvard, Cole spent nine seasons as a member of the Boston College women's basketball staff, where she worked alongside head coach Cathy Inglese and was promoted from assistant coach to associate head coach before her final two seasons. During her tenure in Chestnut Hill, the Eagles compiled a 192-89 mark, including a 93-53 conference record, and made seven trips to the NCAA tournament. Boston College won 20 or more games on six occasions and advanced to the NCAA tournament during each of Cole’s final five seasons with the program (2002-2006), appearing in the regional semifinals three times (2003, 2004, 2006).
 
Cole began her collegiate coaching career at her alma mater, Northwestern, where she helped the Wildcats advance to the 1996 NWIT championship game (today’s WNIT) and to the 1997 NCAA tournament. Northwestern won 40 games during her two years as a member of the staff (40-22) and compiled 17 conference wins within the Big Ten.
 
In addition to coaching collegiately, Cole has a wealth of experience coaching at the high school level. From 1991 to 1996, she served as the head girls’ basketball coach and volleyball coach at Newberg High School in Newberg, Oregon.
 
Following the 2006 season at Boston College, Cole returned to high school coaching, citing the desire to spend more time with her family. She held coaching positions at Boston-area schools Gann Academy, Bedford, and Buckingham Browne & Nichols from 2006 to 2012. During that time, she also launched a basketball skill development and training program for young players.
 
Cole graduated from Northwestern in 1991 with her degree in secondary education and English. She played four seasons with the Wildcats, serving as team captain from 1989 to 1991, and finished her career with 1,206 career points.
 
She is married with three children and currently resides in Waltham, Massachusetts.

COACHING ACCOLADES
• Guest speaker at the 2019 WBCA Coaches' Classroom: Regional Whiteboard Series event in Providence, R.I. (May 2019) 
• Presented at the Boston area USA Basketball Coach Academy (May 2017)


NORTHEASTERN PLAYER ACCOLADES UNDER COLE
As of March 2018

• Dean Ehlers Leadership Award: ... 2019-20: Shannon Todd.
• All-CAA First Team (2): ... 2017-18: Jess Genco ... 2015-16: Samantha DeFreese.
• All-CAA Second Team (2): ... 2016-17: Francesca Sally ... 2019-20: Alexis Hill
• All-CAA Third Team (3): ... 2017-18: Claudia Ortiz ... 2016-17: Claudia Ortiz ... 2014-15: Samantha DeFreese.
• CAA All-Rookie Team (3): ... 2017-18: Stella Clark ... 2015-16: Jess Genco, Gabby Giacone.
• CAA All-Academic Team (4): ... 2015-16: Loren Lassiter, Francesca Sally ... 2014-15: Amencie Mercier, Francesca Sally.
• CAA Player of the Week (4): ... Nov. 20, 2017: Gabby Giacone ... Feb. 22, 2016: Claudia Ortiz ... Feb. 8, 2016: Samantha DeFreese ... Dec. 7, 2015: Samantha DeFreese.
• CAA Rookie of the Week (9): ... Feb. 19, 2018: Stella Clark ... Jan. 8, 2018: Stella Clark ... Nov. 27, 2017: Stella Clark ... Nov. 20, 2017: Stella Clark ... Nov. 13, 2017: Stella Clark ... Feb. 29, 2016: Jess Genco ... Feb. 8, 2016: Jess Genco ... Dec. 7, 2016: Jess Genco ... Nov. 16, 2015: Gabby Giacone.
• NCAA Starting Five of the Week (1): ... Dec. 9, 2015: Samantha DeFreese