Brescia University has announced their new Athletic Director and Head Men’s Basketball coach, Sarah Gayler. Gayler is the first female to be named as the Head Men’s Basketball Coach in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics, or NAIA, history.
The NAIA has been a part of college athletics since 1937. The program has 252 member intuitions, more than 77,000 student-athletes, and 27 national championships yearly.
During a press conference to announce Gayler, she stated, “College athletics is a lifestyle. It is student athlete centered and we have their best interests in mind. We want them to be the best versions of themselves. We want them to leave here being good people.” Gayler went on to mention the importance of showing support and lending a hand in the community will be a big part of how she will run both her team and the athletic department.
Gayler joins the University with after being with the Milwaukee Bucks, where she worked in basketball ops with an emphasis on scouting. During her last year with the Buck, the team won the World Championship. In 2019 Gayler began working with the Jr. NBA – India and Jr. NBA China as an international director and coach. Gayler also was the Head Assistant Coach with the ABA/PBL Shreveport-Bossier/Kentucky Mavericks until 2017. In 2012-2013 she served as the Co-Head Coach of the ABA’s North Dallas Vandals, where they were the ABA Championship Finalist. From 2010 until 2013 she worked for the NBA Developmental League – Texas Legends where she served as the athletic trainers assistant and assistant in practices and games. She attended the University of New Orleans, a NCAA Division I school, on a full basketball scholarship, where she received her Bachelor degree in Business Management.
Brescia University President, Fr. Larry Hostetter said, “We are very pleased to have Coach Gayler join us as Athletic Director and Head Men’s Basketball Coach. As an institution founded by the Ursuline Sisters of Mount St. Joseph, Brescia University is a leader in recognizing the importance of women in roles of leadership, here at the university and throughout society. With that being said, Coach Gayler was selected because she is the most qualified for this important role and we are excited to welcome her to campus.”
The Bearcats are back in action at home on Tuesday, November 16th when they take on Indiana University Kokomo.