Rutgers Women's Basketball HC Gary Redus II Introductory Press Conference

Rutgers Football Women’s Basketball Head Coach Gary Redus II met with the media on Tuesday afternoon to talk for the first time since joining the Scarlet Knights athletics department.

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Full Press Conference Transcript

I’d like to please welcome Director of Athletics Kelly Zinn. Good morning, and thank you all for being here. Today is an exciting day for Rutgers Athletics and for the proud tradition of women’s basketball at this university.

For decades, Rutgers women’s basketball has stood as one of the most respected and accomplished programs in the country. A program built on excellence, competitiveness, and a commitment to developing outstanding women both on and off the court. This program’s legacy speaks for itself.

The Scarlet Knights have made 26 appearances in the NCAA Tournament, including a period when we made 10 consecutive postseason appearances in March Madness. Rutgers has competed at the various highest levels of the sport, advancing to the Final Four in 2000, and making a historic run to the 2007 National Championship game. For Scarlet Knight fans, this program has long represented toughness, pride, and the belief that Rutgers can compete with anyone in the country.

Along the way, Rutgers has produced tremendous talent that has made an impact far beyond Piscataway. The program has produced numerous WNBA draft picks, and former Scarlet Knights have won Olympic gold for Team USA, all representing Rutgers on the national and global stages. Just as important, the success of Rutgers women’s basketball has been shaped by extraordinary leadership.

This program has been guided by two Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame coaches, Teresa Grintz and C. Vivian Stringer. Their leadership helped elevate Rutgers into a national power and shaped generations of young women through the game of basketball. Because of that history, a standard has been established.

It is a legacy built by student-athletes, coaches, alumni, fans, who believe in competing for championships while representing this university with pride. And today, we take the next step in that tradition. When we began our search for the next leader of Rutgers women’s basketball, we were intentional about the qualities we were looking for.

This is a program with a championship foundation, and we needed someone who embraces the expectations that come with that. First and foremost, we wanted a coach with a competitive mindset. Someone who understands that being at Rutgers means an expectation of competing and winning against anyone in the country.

Gary Redis embodies that mentality. He understands what it takes to operate inside a championship-caliber program, and he brings the work ethic, preparation, and mentality that are required to build one. We wanted a coach who could recruit high school and collegiate student-athletes at the highest level.

In today’s game, it is the lifeblood of a successful program, and Gary has built a national reputation as one of the most respected recruiters in the entire country. His ability to connect with student-athletes and their families, to build trust, and to attract elite talent will be instrumental in bringing outstanding players to Rutgers. Equally important is his ability to develop student-athletes.

Gary is an outstanding teacher of the game who takes tremendous pride in helping players grow, not just as basketball players, but as young women preparing for the next stage of their lives. Rutgers is one of the nation’s leading public research universities, and our student-athletes come here to earn degrees that will shape the rest of their lives. Gary is committed to supporting their academic success and building a program where our student-athletes are challenged, supported, and prepared to succeed long after their playing careers are over.

And perhaps one of Gary’s greatest strengths is his ability to build meaningful relationships. The best leaders in our profession understand that successful programs are built on trust, connection, and culture. Gary has a remarkable ability to bring people together, student-athletes, coaches, staff, alumni, and fans, all around a shared vision.

Some might point out that Gary has spent his career as an assistant coach, but I want to be very clear about something. Leadership is not defined by titles, and competence isn’t defined by hierarchy. It is defined by preparation, by sound judgment, by your work ethic, and by your ability to get the job done.

It’s about surrounding yourself with the right people and motivating others to believe in one another and what we can accomplish together. Gary Redis is ready for this opportunity. He has learned from great mentors and from being in great programs.

He has contributed to championship-level success and developed the experience and perspective necessary to lead a program like Rutgers. He is prepared for this moment, and I am confident that he will lead this program with the vision, discipline, and commitment required to achieve greatness. As I shared earlier, Rutgers Women’s Basketball has an incredible legacy, but our focus today is on the future.

A future where we compete relentlessly, a future where we recruit and develop outstanding student-athletes, and a future where Rutgers Women’s Basketball once again stands among the elite programs in the country. Please join me in welcoming Gary and his family, Tiffany, Gio, and Ella, to our Scarlet Knights family, and now, I am thrilled to formally introduce the next head coach of Rutgers Women’s Basketball, Gary Redis. How y’all doing out there? Whew, this is exciting.

God never said that the journey would be easy, but he did say that the arrival would be worthwhile, and this moment is just that. I would like to start by thanking President Tate, Kelly Zinn, for entrusting me with the future of Rutgers Women’s Basketball. It is truly a privilege and an honor to stand before you today, and I want you to know that I recognize that and will work diligently to reestablish Rutgers Women’s Basketball amongst the nation’s elite.

Many of the head coaches here have already reached out to welcome me and our family to the banks. I can’t wait to meet you all, work with you all, and learn the many great things about this great place. There are a couple people that I’ve already started to work with who’ve been so helpful this past week, Brittany, Fout, Haseem, Aaron, all of y’all, thank you, thank you so much.

I would like to recognize my family who’s here with me today, my beautiful wife, Tiffany Ritas. None of this is possible without your support, your love, your understanding, your taking care of everything while I run around to coach basketball. Our six-year-old son, Gio, there he is, he is the most excited about all of this, easily.

Our four-year-old daughter, Ella, who I’m trying to convince to play basketball one day so I can coach her, but right now, you know, she’s more in the stuffies and superheroes. I had more family who planned on being here today, my parents and one of my sisters planned on being here, but bad weather, canceled flights, and all of the crazy travel things affecting everyone right now, held them from being here. But I know that they’re home watching, I know that they’re proud, and I’m pretty sure that my mom is still crying, she’s been crying all week.

Other people here today, Carl Reed, my friend, my agent, Max Nacuasa, my friend of almost 20 years and my former teammate, it’s so important to have a great circle, to keep you grounded, to hold you accountable, and they’ve all played a huge role in this journey. Thank you for rearranging your schedules and being here to share in this moment. Thank you to the people who have helped along the way, the colleagues, the players, the supporters, thank you.

Thank you to everyone who gave me an opportunity, Scott Groninger, Craig Roden, Stephanie White, Toye Wilson, Kim Mulkey, thank you. Thank you to everybody who believed in me. To the ones who’ve poured into me, who’ve mentored me, told me I was good enough, helped so much during this transition, a few special people that I would like to just mention, Bob Starkey, Coach Yo, Joni Taylor, Sharika Wright, again, with all of my heart, thank you.

A lot of people have asked what my goals are for this program and how I plan on turning things around, and two things come to mind. First, I have to change the attitude about Rutgers women’s basketball. I grew up on Rutgers women’s basketball.

There are a lot of people who forgot the storied history. Teresa Grintz, the Coyle twins, Sue Wicks, C. Vivian Stringer, all of the CVS kids. We have to bridge that gap and respect the past in order to embrace the future.

The second thing is, and when I say this, I’m speaking directly to every high level athlete, high level high school player in the state and in the tri-state area, especially specifically New Jersey, because you are our first priority. We will recruit the best players in the country and work relentlessly to build a championship level roster, but locking down home is priority one. High school, AAU coaches, players, parents, our campus is open and this is your standing invite.

Again, thank you to all who played a role in this journey. We know that we have work to do, we get it, and I can’t wait to get started. Fans, both past and present, students, alumni, everybody in the area, get your season tickets now because soon, I’m telling you, it won’t be a lot of them available.

We’re going to turn it around and we’re going to do it quick. Everyone wants to support a winner and we plan on doing just that. The love and support our family has received has truly been overwhelming.

I don’t take it for granted and I promise to make you all proud. In closing, I have one simple question. Are you ready? Thank you.

Hey Gary, welcome to Rutgers, Dom Savino, Big Ten Plus. You mentioned your affinity for Rutgers and the memories. Why Rutgers and why now? It’s the people.

I think for me, it’s always the people. I think my relationship with Kelly and with President Tate, it made it a no-brainer for me. I think that I’ve seen them work.

I’ve seen them and the investment that they’re going to put into women’s basketball was something that I couldn’t turn down. For me, Rutgers, it would be kind of why not? Congratulations, Coach. Marvin Chambers, 4.0 Sports Media.

Coach, you talked about a few things, but what is your immediate vision for Rutgers basketball and what is your benchmark to be successful? I think a lot of people can gauge success a lot of different ways. I think for me, Rutgers needs to be relevant again. Again, I think that we have to change the attitude around the entire program.

I think that it comes from, yes, winning games, and we’re going to do that, and we plan to do that, but I think that making Rutgers relevant again in the media, in the digital media space, amongst recruits, amongst everybody in the country, people need to be talking about Rutgers. I think that’s what I plan on doing immediately. That’s kind of the benchmark of success for me right away.

Gary, Kevin Perry, Det. from the Asbury Park Press. You mentioned bringing home players from New Jersey.

Have you got a chance to check out the Red Bend Catholics, St. John Vianney’s, the top schools and top players, and what have you thought so far? Being at all the schools that I’ve been at, I’ve recruited nationally, and I think this is one of the regions that I’ve frequented the most. I’ve seen all the best schools. I’ve seen all the best players, and I’m impressed.

I’ve recruited a lot of these players to the schools that I’ve been at, so I’m excited to not have to take a long flight. I’m excited to be able to drive to the games now and be able to go see the players that I need to see and keep them home. Hi, Coach.

Nikki Guest, ANA and J Sports. What have you learned from your time at LSU that best practices that you’re going to bring here to Rutgers? I think what I’ve not only just learned at LSU, but every stop along the way. I’ve been in those championship moments.

I’ve seen the hard conversations that lead to excellence. I’ve seen what it takes to prepare a team to not just win games, but win those big games and take the next steps and win championships. And I think those are the moments that you really can’t duplicate, and those are the moments that I’ve been learning from and journaling and recording and kind of keeping it up here for when it was my moment.

And now I get to put it into practice, and that’s what I’m most excited about. Hey, Gary, Steve Palitti from nj.com. I’ve got a two-parter for you. I’m curious, first, what kind of style of play do you anticipate your teams running? I want to play fast.

I want to play fast. I want to get the ball movement. I really want to space the floor and not so much run set after set after set.

I really want to teach ball movement, player movement. Stephanie White, one of my mentors and one of my old bosses at Vanderbilt, she did a really good job of it, and she now coaches with the Indiana Fever, and that’s something that I want to duplicate. Not do it exactly like it, but I want to play fast.

I want to get really good players, give them space, and let them be the really good players that they are. And just to follow up to that, Kim Mulkey had a Bob Starkey and experienced assistant coach on her staff. Do you foresee the need for someone with some experience, given the fact you don’t have any yourself as a head coach? I think that when Kim Mulkey became a head coach, she didn’t have Bob Starkey on her staff.

So I do want to bring in some experience on my staff, but I want to bring in some people that I trust. I want to bring in some people who I feel can help me do the job and do the task at hand and be successful. I’ve, you know, seen—hopefully Kim Mulkey doesn’t do any more interviews in the near future to name my staff, but I’m excited about the staff that I’m going to bring in.

Amen. Gary, Ryan Dunleavy from the New York Post. You mentioned when this program was humming, they were recruiting top players in the nation based on—you can go to the WNBA over there, or you can go deep in March up there.

Can you still recruit at a high level on those two selling points in the NIL world, or is it just about the NIL? It’s both. It’s both. Again, I think you have to bring up the history when you bring up Rutgers, and I think that you have to sell that to student athletes and to their parents so that they understand.

A lot of the parents still know what Rutgers was, you get what I’m saying? A lot of student athletes, you have to teach them, and that’s what I plan on doing. I think that in the NIL era, yes, like a lot of the kids are concerned about NIL, but they’re still concerned about relationships. Relationships are still really important, and that’s what I plan on doing.

That’s what I feel like I’m one of the best at, and I don’t plan on stopping doing that. Hey, Coach, just kind of ironic, maybe, excuse me, today is Vivian Stringer’s birthday. Happy birthday, Coach Stringer.

My question is, what kind of team are you walking into, and have you had time to assess the kids? I’ve had time to assess. I’ve watched a lot of film. I met with them last week.

It’s a team that, and I told them this, there has to be a different attitude. There has to be a change in attitude. The attitude has to change to one where they expect success, and where you expect to win, and where you expect to work hard.

And you don’t just win, you have to prepare to win, and I think that that is what we’re walking into, and that’s what we want to change, and that’s the exciting thing. The fact that you get to do these things, and you get to kind of shape the team in a way to be successful, there just has to be a little bit more toughness. There has to be a little bit more grit, and I think that those are the things that we’re excited to build with.

Brian Fonseca, NJ.com. Kelly, I have a two-parter for you, if that’s all right. Just on the process, this obviously was a quick process, happened in the span of a week. How many other candidates did you talk to, and how quickly did you zero in on Gary as your main target? Yeah, so we started with about eight candidates that we were most closely looking at, and vetted them, communicated with about half of that list, and obviously really quickly said to ourselves, Gary is the right person for this job.

There was one offer, and you’re seeing him sitting here. And just, you addressed this in your opening remarks, but was there any pause at all on your end? Gary has never been a head coach. I know you’ve been asked this probably a lot, but was there any pause on your end about that aspect of him taking over this program? There wasn’t, and again, I think you can look at the history of college sports all across the country.

Sometimes people make a hire with someone who was a previous head coach, and it doesn’t work out. Other times they take a chance on an assistant, and you recognize then that that was their first big step towards being one of the greatest out there. And I have full belief and confidence in him.

You’re seeing a little bit here today as to why that’s the case. The biggest thing for me was in that very first conversation, it was so abundantly clear that he had prepared for this. He knew exactly what he was seeking to achieve, how he was going to get there.

And he wanted this job. And I think it’s really important that aside from the preparation and the ability to be effective in it, is that we have people here who want to be at Rutgers, and they look at what we’re capable of and say, we can absolutely accomplish that there. And you’re going to see me continue to seek that from people, not just as coaches, but also our administration.

That has to be a piece of it. And in that very first conversation, I hung up the phone and said to myself, this guy is not only prepared for this job, but he wants this job and knows that he can be successful in it. Christian Dyer with Scarlet Nation.

Kelly, this one’s for you. Alignment is a big buzz term today in college sports. How important was alignment in your comfort and your familiarity with coach and also President Tate having the familiarity and knowing and understanding the inner workings of that program? Yeah, it was a huge plus.

I think you all have probably been able to see this externally. Leading up to this opportunity, you always kind of think about who you’re going to hire, people that you’re looking at. I’ve been watching him for years.

And when you have the opportunity of the known versus the unknown to know their work ethic, to know how they work with people, to know what they’re capable of, what are their strengths, and all of those things, there’s certainly a comfort factor in that. But as far as the alignment is concerned, I also knew that he was going to work really, really well with me, with President Tate, and the team that I’ve assembled because I watched him do it previously. And so there were just so many factors, and the pace at which it moved was really a product of how overwhelmingly positive I felt about making this decision.

Coach, over here. This is John over here from Chicago Game. You spoke briefly about kind of the identity you want to build.

But what are some of those non-negotiables you plan to actually implement throughout the season? What are some of those things that, you know, as supporters, we can see and connect with as well? I think that you’re going to see a tough team. I think that you’re going to see a team that plays really hard. We’re going to be talented, because we’re going to have to be talented to win games right away.

But you’re going to see a talented, tough team, a team that doesn’t quit, a team that keeps going, a team that competes every single night. That is the change that you’re going to see right away. Alec Krauthammer from the Knight Report on On 3 Sports.

Gary, you talked about already your ability to build relationships, something you’ve long been praised for. I guess, what is the edge that separates you and some who are elite in that category from some who may not be? I’m just myself, honestly. I try to be as genuine as I possibly can be.

I try to approach recruiting, coaching, mentoring, all of those things the same way. I want to get to know you while you get to know me. I think it’s very simple to form a bond and form a relationship when it’s coming natural.

I try not to force it. I try not to do too much. I’m just me.

I’m just me, and it’s worked out for me. So I just kind of keep doing that. Gary, I’ve got a wardrobe question for you.

We noticed from afar that you were quite a snazzy dresser on the sidelines. Is that something you’re going to bring? And do you have to abandon all of your purple clothes? How does this work for you at this point? I love red. My high school was red.

But yeah, I’m going to keep it up a little bit. My wife is kind of my stylist. So she’s going to make sure that I’m dressing the part and dressing for the job.

So I’m going to keep it up. I’m going to keep it up. Probably no purple.

But I like to mix the colors up. I like to mix it up a little bit. So we’ll see.

Hey, Gary. How are you? Hopefully you can help me get a connection at Balenciaga as well. Obviously, NIL resource is an important deal here when you’re trying to find players in transfer portal and your conversations with Kelly.

Just what is your understanding of the resources you’re going to have to work with and understanding what it takes to build a top team from your time at LSU? How close is that going to be to what is necessary to compete for the things you want to achieve? I think I’m not the only one who understands that. Kelly understands that too. And I honestly wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t that alignment like we just talked about.

She’s committed to winning at Rutgers in everything. She’s very competitive. She is very competitive.

President Tate is very competitive. They expect winners. And I think that they’re going to put me in the position to win.

And so now it’s up to me to do it. Andrew Rice on the Banks. How did you get into changing the mentality of the entire program? What is the process behind that? Can you repeat that? What is the process of changing the mentality of the entire program? As you said before, you want to change it into that winning mentality.

How do you do that on a day-to-day basis? Just what you said, day by day. You do it every day. You demand it every day.

You instill it every day. It’s an everyday thing here. And I think that’s the thing.

You can’t look too far ahead. You look at the day. And you want to win that day.

And you want to be tough that day. And you want to look to win and compete that day. And that’s what I want to do.

Every single day, you have to bring in like-minded people. The players have to be like-minded. And you have to do it.

You have to do it every single day. You don’t give them a different option. The option is to win.

The option is to play hard. The option is to be tough. And when there’s no other option, it gets pretty easy to do it.

Coach, Richie O’Leary from the Knight Report on 3 Sports. It was reported that you took the job site unseen over the phone. Now that you’ve had a couple days to see the facilities between Jersey Mike’s, APC, what do you kind of think about everything? Me and Kelly were just talking about that.

The facilities are amazing. Of course, you can get on the internet. And you can see pictures.

And you can see videos. But it doesn’t really do it justice. I’ve been at really good institutions.

But these facilities are amazing. If you can’t get recruits to come and play in these facilities and spend every day in these facilities, then I don’t know what you’re doing. But these are amazing.

Everything that I’ve seen, campus is so clean. Everything looks so new. Everything looks so fresh.

And I think that when you have trust and when you’ve built those relationships, I trust Kelly. I trust President Tate. And I trust that they wouldn’t tell me something or bring me to a place that wasn’t beautiful.

So when they tell me about the facilities and when they tell me about the people, I didn’t need to come up here. I didn’t need to do it. I trust them.

And I trust the vision here at Rutgers. So it was really easy for me to go ahead and make that decision. Coach, your dad obviously was a great baseball player.

I assume you played the game at some point. I played one year when I was eight. I wasn’t that good.

So I stopped playing. Baseball just never really was my thing. I don’t know. Maybe my son will play. I don’t know. But yes, I was really a basketball player from the very beginning.

I didn’t play other sports. I played basketball. My sister, she played all the other sports. But I stuck to what I was good at. Let me cheat here. Why was baseball or basketball so appealing? I don’t know.

I grew up on basketball. My sister played basketball. So I grew up around women’s basketball.

So a lot of times people ask, why do I coach? Or why is women’s basketball so appealing to me? And it’s what I grew up around. Ever since I was their age, I was going to practices. I was outside in the backyard playing with my sister. I was watching her play. And I fell in love with it. I don’t know exactly when I fell in love with it. But it’s always been basketball for me.

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