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Gary Redus II said he is prepared to begin his first head coaching job and has established a clear objective for Rutgers womens basketball: restore the programs national relevance.
Redus outlined his expectations during a recent B1G Today interview as the Scarlet Knights prepare for their first competition under him at the FISU America Games in Lima, Peru, beginning Tuesday.
I feel ready.
I feel very prepared, Redus said.
Ive been preparing for this for a really long time.
Redus Takes Over a Program Seeking a Reset Redus inherits a Rutgers program that finished 9-20 overall and 1-17 in Big Ten play last season.
The Scarlet Knights lost their final 11 games and finished last in the conference, leading Rutgers to replace Coquese Washington after four seasons.
The recent results contrast with the programs history.
Rutgers has made 26 NCAA Tournament appearances, reached the Final Four in 2000 and advanced to the 2007 national championship game.
Hall of Fame coaches Theresa Grentz and C.
Vivian Stringer established the program as a national contender before its decline in recent seasons.
When you talk about the history of Rutgers, I grew up on Rutgers, Redus said.
I have a ton of reverence for Rutgers womens basketball.
Championship Experience Shapes His Rebuilding Plan Rutgers women's basketball hired former LSU assistant coach Gary Redus II as Head coach for the program on March 9, per a release from the university.
Redus spent four seasons as an assistant coach at the NCAAs top-ranked program in the country, under Hall of Fame coach Kim Mulkey, where he helped the LSU Tigers win a national championship in 2023, as well as two Elite 8 appearances in 2024 and 2025.
Redus also helped LSU assemble unanimous No.
1 recruiting classes in 2023 and 2025.
He was selected for the Womens Basketball Coaches Associations Thirty Under 30 program in 2020.
One of the first things that new women's head coach Gary Redus II did after being hired was to assemble his coaching staff.
The first on the staff is former LSU assistant Daphne Mitchell.
He was also able to bring on his sister, Manisha Redus.
This offseason, Redus has spent a lot of time meeting with returners and going through the transfer portal to evaluate his roster.
Recruiting New Jersey Is Priority No.
1 Recruiting New Jersey and surrounding regions will be at the core of Redus' reconstruction plan for the program.
From Redus' first press conference As Rutgers Women's Basketball Head Coach, he made clear that local prospects are Rutgers' "first priority".
Locking down home for the Scarlet Knights is "priority one" as well.
He reiterated that position during his B1G Today appearance, noting that Rutgers location will allow recruits and their families to reach campus without extensive travel.
I plan on being able to get really good players to come to Rutgers, especially in the region where there are so many players, Redus said.
Redus is also planning to install a faster offense, which will be based on spacing, ball movement, and player movement.
On the defensive side of the ball, Rutgers needs to become tougher and compete on a consistent basis.
International Competition Offers an Early Test Rutgers staff can put to work some of the same principles when the Scarlet Knights head to the FISU America Games as part of the U.S.
team competing in basketball.
The group stage begins for them on Tuesday against Argentina.
The Rutgers team will also use their international tour as practice and to play more games before the 2026-27 season in order to get a better read of where they are as a program.
For Redus to hit the ground running and take the Rutgers program to its highest levels in the Big Ten, he needs to get a sense of what his ideal way of playing is, continue to build his roster, and turn all of the great talent that he brings in as a recruiter into reality for the current Scarlet Knights.
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Edward Blair II is a journalist, sportscaster, news producer, and multimedia professional with experience spanning sports journalism, broadcast production, coaching, and digital media.
He currently serves as a News Producer for KOTA Territory News in Rapid City, South Dakota, while continuing to contribute sports coverage across multiple platforms.
Blair has covered professional, collegiate, and pro sports as a writer for Sports Illustrated's On SI network, including coverage of the Seattle Storm, Philadelphia 76ers, Illinois Fighting Illini, and other programs.
He also wrote for Last Word on College Football, where he covered Michigan Wolverines football and college football storylines nationwide.
He is a contributor to Rutgers On SI.
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