WEST POINT — It didn’t take long for the enormity of the moment to catch up to Katie Kuester.
Surrounded by Academy leadership, family, a new coaching staff and well-wishers, Kuester choked up as she was officially introduced as Army’s tenth women’s basketball head coach on July 1.
“It was hard for me to not be emotional up there,’’ Kuester said afterward, “because I’m just so excited and so honored and so thankful. This is a dream situation in so many regards, aside from it being an unbelievable opportunity for me and my family.’’
Kuester said she couldn’t have stepped into a better situation, assuming the reins from departed head coach Missy Traversi, who led Army to 25 wins, a postseason WNIT victory and was just 20 minutes from a potential NCAA berth — the Black Knights return all but one starter, and retained all four recruits.
“So lucky, so fortunate, so thankful,’’ Kuester said of her team’s riches. “Just a really tough and gritty team that we’re inheriting, that knows how to win.’’
Stopping just shy of predicting a championship, Kuester believes Army should be a top two or three preseason pick and title expectations are realistic. “This team is built for a championship,’’ she said, adding she doesn’t expect a slide from Army’s 2024-25 success, which included a second-place regular-season finish in the Patriot League and finals appearance at Lehigh. She said beating Navy twice is the No. 1 goal in a schedule that will also include Oregon, New Hampshire, Iona and Eastern Kentucky. Her Army debut will be Nov. 3 in a home game with Pace University.
Kuester embraces a style of play that fits in nicely with what Army has been playing of late: utilizing an up-tempo offense when possible, getting shots up in 5-7 seconds, and being very precise when in a half-court situation. She wants her players chasing after all loose balls and continue stepping in to draw charging fouls. She said the three-ball is an essential part of the offense. As for her sideline demeanor, she believes in being respectful but demanding, including her relationships with officials. “(You’ve) got to fight for what you deserve and what you need,’’ she said.
Her “true love” is football, but Kuester was destined to follow a path in basketball. Her father, John, spent 20 years as an NBA assistant coach, and she played four seasons for Saint Joseph’s University before heading into coaching. She served on the staff at Loyola, Md., Lehigh and North Carolina and spent the last 10 seasons at St. Joe’s.
“Basketball is a game that you really need the best teammates around you, and not only on the court but on the bench, too,’’ she said. “I’ve gone through moments with this sport where I’ve been the best teammate on the bench (and) where I’ve also been the best player on the court. I’ve been a part of all of those little layers of the sport and it’s so rewarding no matter what, because every single day you got to be the best version of yourself. You got to be the best possible teammate. You can’t control the ball going in the basket every single time but you can control who you are, and I really do think with basketball that’s exposed in a great level that you’ve got to be a good person and a good teammate and good things will happen for you.’’
kmcmillan@th-record.com
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This article originally appeared on Times Herald-Record: Katie Kuester may be perfect fit as she inherits Army women’s basketball coaching job
Reporting by Ken McMillan, Middletown Times Herald- Record / Times Herald-Record
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
