LORETTO, Pennsylvania – Marist Women's Basketball Assistant Coach Keila Whittington has accepted the head coaching position at Saint Francis University, the school announced on Wednesday morning.

The Red Flash's athletic department are holding a press conference on Thursday at 12:15 p.m. to formally introduce Whittington, who earns her first Division I head coaching position.

"We are extremely excited for this head coaching opportunity for Keila," said Head Coach Brian Giorgis. "She's more than earned this chance to direct a Division I program. She will be sorely missed here at Marist, but we wish her nothing but the best. She will do a terrific job at Saint Francis University."

"I am thrilled for Keila and for the Saint Francis University women's basketball program," mentioned Athletic Director Tim Murray. "In her five years at Marist, Keila has always worked hard, and has been extremely loyal to our basketball program. She has always been a consummate professional in anything she has done with our basketball program, across campus, and within our community. We will miss her at Marist, but we are excited for this opportunity that she truly deserves. I am confident that she will do a terrific job."

Whittington spent five seasons in Poughkeepsie across two tenures. During that time, the Red Foxes have made three postseason appearances and garnered 16 postseason All-MAAC selections, including six student-athlete major award winners.

In her first stop with Marist from 2007-09, she helped lead the Red Foxes to back-to-back MAAC titles, three NCAA Tournament victories across two trips, and a 61-7 record. In the 2007-08 campaign, Marist set a program-record 32 wins and became the first time in MAAC history to go 18-0 in conference play during the regular season. The Red Foxes were ranked 23rd in the nation in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll at the end of the year.

In the last three seasons, Whittington has assisted in Marist's 58 victories, 38 of which came against conference foes. The Red Foxes have appeared in consecutive MAAC Championship games and were selected to the WNIT in 2018.

With her new position, Whittington is the sixth student-athlete or assistant coach under Giorgis to land a collegiate head coaching position.
 

Name	Position	Time at Marist	Head Coach Positions
Kristina Danella	Student-Athlete	2010-13	Urbana, Caldwell, San Francisco State, Keystone
Stephanie Del Preore	Student-Athlete	2000-04	Bridgeport, LIU Brooklyn
Megan Gebbia	Assistant/Associate Head Coach	2003-13	American
Alisa Kresge	Student-Athlete	2003-07	Vermont
Maureen Magarity	Student-Athlete	2001-04	New Hampshire
Keila Whittington	Assistant Coach	2007-09, 2016-19	Saint Francis University