Purdue Women's Basketball Coach Katie Gearlds Officially Gets Contract Extension
Katie Gearlds will continue to be the leader of the Purdue women's basketball program for the foreseeable future. On Tuesday, it was officially confirmed that the Board of Trustees approved Gearlds' contract extension, keeping her in West Lafayette through the 2028-29 college basketball season.
"We are excited for Katie Gearlds to continue leading Purdue Women's Basketball as we restore the program to national prominence," said Purdue athletic director Mike Bobinski. "Katie is passionate about our proud history of success and is intently focused on building a program with a foundation for sustained, championship-level performance. Our athletic department and the entire Purdue community look forward to supporting Katie, her team and staff this upcoming season and beyond."
Gearlds enters her fourth season as the coach of the Boilermakers, taking over the program before the 2021-22 season. She's accumulated a 51-45 record in West Lafayette, leading Purdue to two WNIT appearances and one trip to the NCAA Tournament.
Before she was a coach, Gearlds played at Purdue from 2003-07. She averaged 14.8 points, 3.8 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game during her four-year career. She was named the Big Ten Freshman of the Year in 2004 and received Most Outstanding Player honors in the 2007 Big Ten Women's Basketball Tournament.
Purdue was 103-30 in her four seasons as a player.
"I am excited to continue leading this incredible program," Gearlds said. "I am grateful for the support of athletic director Mike Bobinski, president Mung Chiang, the Purdue Board of Trustees and deputy athletic director Tiffini Grimes have shown me and our program. From watching the program's success as a kid in this state to wearing Purdue across my chest to getting to lead this incredible team, Purdue has had a profound impact on my life. I am grateful for the opportunity to bring more success to this university and continue to develop our young women into leaders when they graduate."
Prior to taking over at Purdue, Gearlds was the coach at Marian University (NAIA) for eight seasons (2013-21). She compiled a 227-49 record and won two NAIA Division II championships (2016 and 2017).
The Boilermakers struggled in 2023-24, finishing with a 15-19 record. Purdue is hoping for a big bounce-back campaign in 2024-25.
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