Amy Reed has helped usher in a new era of excellence for the RIT women’s basketball program in her 15 seasons as head coach. The program’s all-time leader with 175 wins, Reed has led the Tigers to seven Liberty League Tournament appearances and three trips to the NCAA Division III Tournament. Since the start of the 2011-12 season, Reed has led the Tigers to 162 wins, including 20 or more wins three times.
Last season, Reed led the Tigers to eight wins, including six the Liberty League. Kaleesha Joseph and Emma Waite were All-Liberty League selections, while Joseph was named to the United States Basketball Writer's Association Rochester Area NCAA Division II-III Women's Team.
Reed guided the Tigers to 11 victories in 2019-20, including nine in the Liberty League. The Tigers advanced to the Liberty League Tournament for the sixth time. Kaleesha Joseph was named 2020 Liberty League Rookie of the Year, while Brooke Stanley was a Second Team All-League selection.
In 2017-18, Reed led the Tigers on its deepest run in the NCAA Tournament, guiding RIT to the third round after a come-from-behind win over The College of New Jersey in the second round, earning Liberty League Coaching Staff of the Year honors. Jessica Glaz became the program’s all-time leading scorer, finishing her brilliant career with 1,502 points. Juniors Tara Lynch and Cori Okada became the ninth and tenth players, respectively to score 1,000 career points. Okada was first WBCA Honorable Mention All-America, and d3hoops.com All-East Region selection. Six members were named to the Liberty League All-Academic Team for maintaining at least a 3.30 cumulative grade-point average.
In 2016-17, Reed led the Tigers to 19 wins and the program’s first-ever conference championship, beating Clarkson, 85-72 in the Liberty League Tournament title game. In addition, Reed led RIT to its first appearance into the NCAA Tournament, while the Tigers set of tied or set 11 team records. Glaz and Ashlynn Palmitesso each surpassed the 1,000-point milestone. Seven members were named to the Liberty League All-Academic Team for maintaining at least a 3.30 cumulative grade-point average.
In 2015-16, RIT eclipsed 11 team single-season records, including most wins with 20. The Tigers set the program record with 1,879 points in 2015-16, making a record 678 field goals. Glaz earned All-Liberty League first team honors, while Amanda Olsen was an honorable mention pick. Lynch was a second team selection, an All-Rookie Team pick and was the Liberty League Rookie of the Year in 2015-16, while She, Reed, Glaz and Olsen were selected to the United States Basketball Writers Association (USBWA) Rochester Area Division II and III Teams.
Reed, the 2015-16 USBWA Rochester Area Division II and III Coach of the Year, has coached five conference Rookies of the Year in Sharon Dennis, Leslie Havens, Courtney Tennant, Lynch and Joseph.
Kayla Wheeler was named to the All State/WBCA Good Works Team for her work off the court in the community in 2013-14.
Tennant and Ashlynn Palmitesso were All-Liberty League selections in 2013-14. Tennant was also named a CoSIDA Academic All-America second-team pick, finishing her career third on RIT’s career scoring list. Reed has coached 20 all-conference selections, including 16 as a member of the Liberty League.
Before arriving at RIT, Reed was the assistant basketball coach at Gettysburg College for one season, where she performed a wide array of coaching duties. She served as the recruiting coordinator and worked primarily with post players. Reed also served as the strength and conditioning coordinator at Gettysburg.
Reed played four years at Division I Marshall University. She was a four-year starter for the Thundering Herd and was named a captain her senior season. In 2003, Reed was named the Offensive Player of the Year at Marshall and received the Dorothy Hicks Scholarship given by Marshall for excellence in academics and athletics. She is the fifth all-time leading shot blocker in Marshall University history. She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in physical education in 2003 and went on to earn a master’s degree in athletic administration in 2007 from Marshall.
After graduation, Reed was an elementary physical education teacher, girl’s junior high basketball coach, and girls’ varsity softball coach at Geary High School in Oklahoma City.
Reed is an avid golfer. In addition to her coaching duties, she is also the senior woman administrator at the university, co-director of the RIT Athletic Diversity and Inclusion Team and the department’s NCAA Athletics Diversity and Inclusion Designee. Reed was inducted into the Allen-Rogowicz Chapter of the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame in 2017.
