Coming off one of the most successful campaigns in program history, Gayle Fulks is entering her ninth season at the helm of the Davidson College women’s basketball program.

Fulks has guided the Wildcats to 123 wins and two postseason appearances, including the 2025 WBIT. In addition to ranking second on Davidson’s all-time wins list, Fulks has coached 15 all-conference performers, while leading her club to a number of record-setting performances along the way.

Along with 18 conference games for the first time in A-10 play, the 2024-25 campaign yet again featured one of the nation’s toughest non-conference slates. The Wildcats rose to the challenge posting 19 victories, their most under Fulks, and a program-best 13 league wins en route to a third-place finish, their highest since joining the league in 2014.

Davidson’s 13 wins in Atlantic 10 play weren’t the only standard set last season. The Wildcats proved to be one of the most efficient and productive teams from the outside making a school-record 241 highlighted by eight games with at least 10 made 3-pointers. They also ranked among national leaders in 3-pointer differential (5th), 3-point defense (1st) and assists per game against (1st). In conference play, no team was better in blocks, points allowed, field-goal percentage defense and 3-point field goal percentage defense.

Before arriving at Davidson, Fulks gained valuable experience as an assistant coach at Wake Forest University, where she worked under Jen Hoover for five seasons, helping to shape the program and refine her coaching philosophy. Prior to her tenure at Wake Forest, she spent a season at UNC Greensboro, contributing to player development and game planning. Her coaching journey began at Longwood University, where she was on staff from 2007 to 2011.

Fulks’ basketball roots extend beyond the collegiate level. She started her career with the WNBA’s New York Liberty in 2007, serving as the Assistant Video Coordinator.

In this week's coaching conversation, George Mason head coach Tony Skinn shares insights on defensive identity and competitive spirit.

A key starter on the 2006 George Mason Final Four team and one of the best all-around guards in program history, Skinn returned to his alma mater after nearly a decade of work as a collegiate assistant coach.

The 2025 Atlantic 10 Coach of the Year, Skinn has put together arguably the best start to a coaching career in school history. He set new program bests for overall wins (47), league wins (24), overall winning percentage (.691) and league winning percentage (.667) for a Patriot coach over his first two campaigns. What's more, Skinn's 66.7 A-10 winning percentage is first amongst active league coaches over their first two seasons in the conference.

This season, Skinn guided the Patriots to the best season in the program's A-10 history. The Patriots earned a share of their first-ever A-10 regular season title, tallied the program's first NIT victory since 2004 and notched a school record-tying 27 overall victories. The Green & Gold set a new school record for Atlantic 10 league victories (15) and started league play 12-1 for the first time in the program's 59-year history. The Patriots locked up a double bye in the A-10 Tournament for the first time and reached a conference title game for the first time since 2009.

George Mason tallied a school-record 18 home victories in 2024-25. The Patriots also swept their A-10 home schedule (9-0) for the first time ever and won five-straight A-10 road games for the first time in program annals. The team's 11-game win streak from Jan. 8-Feb. 18 was the second longest in the nation at the time and was just the fourth 10+ game winning streak in school history.

Prior to becoming the head coach of his alma mater, Skinn guided three different programs to the NCAA Tournament as an assistant at Louisiana Tech, Maryland, Ohio State, and Seton Hall.

In this week's coaching conversation, American University head coach Duane Simpkins shares insights on reflecting on a championship season.

Simpkins has made a significant impact as the head coach of American, leading the program to new heights in the Patriot League. Over his tenure, he has compiled an impressive 38–29. In just his second year, Simpkins led the Eagles to a historic season, winning the 2024-25 Patriot League Championship and earning the program’s first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2014. American finished 22-13 overall and 13-5 in the Patriot League, matching the program’s all-time record for league wins in a season.

Simpkins joined American after eight seasons on the coaching staff at George Mason, where he helped guide the Patriots to multiple program bests within the Atlantic 10, including an 11-win A-10 campaign and a 20-13 overall finish in 2022-23.

His coaching career also includes stints at UNC Greensboro, Towson, and on the high school level at St. Albans, Sidwell Friends, and Bishop O’Connell. In 2020, he was named one of the country’s Top 50 Most Impactful Mid-Major Assistants by Silverwaves Media and has been invited to numerous national leadership and coaching development programs.

A DMV basketball legend, Simpkins earned McDonald’s High School All-America honors at DeMatha Catholic under Hall of Fame coach Morgan Wootten. He was a three-time All-ACC Honorable Mention selection at the University of Maryland and helped lead the Terrapins to three NCAA Tournament appearances, including two Sweet 16 runs.