Upcoming Event: Women's Basketball at Virginia Tech on December 7, 2025 at 2 p.m.
/
2 p.m.
Women's Basketball
at Virginia Tech
Gail Goestenkors Earns USA Basketball National Coach Of The Year Honor
12/15/2005 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. ? 2005 USA Basketball U19 World Championship Team head coach Gail Goestenkors of Duke University (N.C.) was named the 2005 USA Basketball National Coach of the Year after piloting the USA U19 women to the 2005 FIBA U19 World Championship and an overall record of 13-1 on the summer, USA Basketball announced today. As recipient of USA Basketball's National Coach of the Year award, which was selected by the USA Basketball Executive Committee, Goestenkors has been nominated by USA Basketball for the U.S. Olympic Committee's 2005 (USOC) National Coach of the Year award, which will be announced by the USOC at a later date.
Goestenkors guided the U.S. to the gold medal and a perfect 8-0 record at the U19 Worlds in Tunis, Tunisia, after posting a 5-1 record, including a 4-0 slate and the gold medal at the International Sports Invitational, during U19 World Championship preparations.
“I'm very grateful. I've always had such wonderful experiences with USA Basketball,” said Goestenkors. “I felt that last summer was one of the most memorable. I can't say enough about the staff of USA Basketball, the assistants I had and the players on the team made it one of the best experiences of my entire life. My great reward was the experience I had over the summer, the award goes to everybody because it was such a team effort.”
“Gail did an outstanding job guiding USA Basketball's 2005 U19 Women's World Championship Team,” said USA Basketball Executive Director Jim Tooley. “She has been involved with several USA Basketball teams throughout the years, and she always leaves her imprint of success. This year was no exception as she guided the team to a perfect 8‑0 mark and the gold medal.”
“Coach G is a great coach, she always has her players ready to play,” said Crystal Langhorne (Maryland / Willingboro, N.J.), the 2005 USA Basketball Female Athlete of the Year and a member of the USA U19 squad. “I was just happy to play for her this summer. She helped me get better defensively and I became a better leader from playing on that team. That's really going to help me out this season.”
USA Basketball's Coach of the Year award was established in 1996 to recognize a USA Basketball head coach who, during the year of the award, made significant impact on the success of individual athlete and team performance at the highest level of competition.
Other previous USA Basketball National Coach of the Year winners include Jim Boeheim (2001) of Syracuse University (N.Y.), current New York Knicks head coach Larry Brown (1999, 2003), Van Chancellor (2002, 2004) of the Houston Comets, Nell Fortner (2000) formerly with USA Basketball, Clem Haskins (1998) formerly of the University of Minnesota, Mo McHone (1997) formerly of the CBA Sioux Falls Skyforce, and Tara VanDerveer (1996) of Stanford University (Calif.).
Goestenkors' USA team left no doubt who was the best team at the 2005 FIBA Women's U19 World Championship was after completely dominating the field in Tunis, Tunisia.
Langhorne, who averaged a USA best 16.8 points a game and 6.4 rebounds a game, while shooting a gaudy 77.5 percent (55‑71 FGs) from the field and 79.3 percent (23‑29 FTs) percent from the foul line, was named MVP of the 2005 FIBA U19 World Championship.
Also named to the five‑member All‑U19 World Championship Team was Candice Wiggins (Stanford/Poway, Calif.), who finished averaging 15.8 points a game, while shooting 57.1 percent (44‑77 FGs) from the field and 42.9 (18‑42 3pt FGs) from 3‑point.
Statistically, the USA averaged 105.9 points a game, and won its eight games by a whopping average margin of victory of 46.3 points a game.
By winning all eight of its games, the U.S. became just the third team to emerge from the U19 World Championship undefeated and the first team to go 8‑0. Of the 16 USA team records for the event, the 2005 squad shattered 10 of the previous marks, including most points (842); highest scoring average; most field goals made (340) and attempted (567); highest field goal percentage (.600); most free throws made (118) and attempted (183); most rebounds (355); and most assists (183). Of 14 USA single game marks, 11 were rewritten and two others tied. In the 2005 U19 World Championship overall statistics, the USA as a team finished ranked tops in 11 categories.
Five U.S. players finished averaging in double figures. While Langhorne and Wiggins ranked one‑two in scoring, Courtney Paris (Piedmont H.S./Piedmont, Calif.) added 12.4 ppg., Nicky Anosike (Tennessee/Staten Island, N.Y.) dumped in 11.4 ppg., and Erlana Larkins (North Carolina/Riviera Beach, Fla.) added 10.8 rpg.
The U.S. ruled the glass, outrebounding its opponents by 24.4 rebounds a game. Larkins and Paris led the U.S. on the boards grabbing 7.0 rpg., while Langhorne snagged 6.4 rpg. and Anosike added 5.3 a game.
The U.S. surpassed the previous record for the championship by a whopping 96 assists, smashing the mark of 87 set in 2001. University of Virginia guard Sharnee' Zoll (Virginia/ Philadelphia, Pa.) handed out 3.4 assists a game, Abby Waner (ThunderRidge H.S./Highlands Ranch, Colo.) contributed 3.0 assists, Erika Arriaran (Norco H.S./Norco, Calif.) passed out 2.6 apg. and Essence Carson (Rutgers/ Paterson, N.J.) contributed 2.4 assists and a team best 2.4 steals a game.
Assisting Goestenkors on the sidelines were collegiate head coaches Felisha Legette-Jack from Hofstra University (N.Y.) and Carol Ross from the University of Mississippi.
In addition to Anosike, Arriaran, Carson, Langhorne, Larkins, Paris, Waner, Wiggins and Zoll, the USA squad included Jolene Anderson (Wisconsin / Port Wing, Wis.), Marissa Coleman (St. John's College H.S. / Cheltonham, Md.) and Christina Wirth (Seton Catholic H.S. / Mesa, Ariz.).
Formerly known as the FIBA Women's Junior World Championship and held every four years since 1985, the USA's capturing of gold in 2005 marked just the second time the American women claimed gold in the six U19 World Championships. The U.S. now boasts of a 32‑10 overall record and has captured two gold (2005, 1997) and one bronze medal (2001).
USA Basketball National Coach of the Year Award Recipients
2005 - Gail Goestenkors, Duke University
2004 - Van Chancellor, Houston Comets
2003 - Larry Brown, Detroit Pistons
2002 - Van Chancellor, Houston Comets
2001 - Jim Boeheim, Syracuse University
2000 - Nell Fortner, USA Basketball
1999 - Larry Brown, Philadelphia 76ers
1998 - Clem Haskins, University of Minnesota
1997 - Mo McHone, Sioux Falls Skyforce
1996 - Tara VanDerveer, Stanford University
Players Mentioned
G
/ Women's BasketballKara Lawson on Bella Flemings
Monday, November 17
Kara Lawson on Taylor Sofilkanich
Sunday, November 16
Kara Lawson on Sanai Green
Thursday, November 13
Kara Lawson on Autumn Fleary
Wednesday, November 12
