Crystal Reed enters her second season with the Pioneers in 2020-21.
DU capped off the regular season with a six-game win streak in Reed’s first year on staff, its longest win streak in eight years. She also helped the Pioneers earn their first victory over South Dakota State since 2015 and first program win in Brookings.
The Pioneers put on a strong offensive showing in Reed’s first season, finishing in the top-20 in the NCAA in four statistical categories. They finished 18th in scoring offense (77.6), 19th in free throw percentage (77.1), third in free throws made (504), and 14th in free throw attempts (654).
DU continued its strong Summit League presence as it finished second in scoring offense (77.6), first in free throw percentage (77.1), third in 3s made per game average (7.2), third in 3-point percentage (33.7), second in steals per game (9.3), second in free throw attempts (654), first in free throws made (504), and first in rebounds (1,264) and rebounds per game (42.1).
It was another record setting year in 2019-20 for Denver as it set a new school record with a free throw percentage of 77.1, while posting the fourth highest scoring average in program history at 77.6. The Pioneers’ offense was one of the hottest in school history, scoring the second most points at 2,328.
Reed was critical in Madison Nelson’s record setting senior season as she was named First Team All-Summit League. With Reed’s coaching, Nelson set new program single season records for points (592), rebounds (343), and points per game (19.7). The senior forward became the first player in Denver’s Division I era and only player in the Summit League this season to average a double-double with averages of 19.7 points and 11.4 rebounds per contest.
Reed comes to the University of Denver women’s basketball program from Littleton High School in Littleton, Colo., where she served as the assistant and level C team girls basketball coach for the past four years. While she was there she helped lead her level C team to a 37-1 record, coached several Jefferson County (Jeffco) 4A All-League players, and received the 2019 Jefferson County 4A Assistant Coach of the Year award for girls’ sports.
Prior to coaching at Littleton High School, Reed was an assistant coach at Dodge City Community College in Dodge City, KS., from 2011 to 2015. While there, Reed was responsible for recruiting and player development. Reed coached several players who received KJCCC all-conference accolades, along with having a successful 2013-2014 season starting off 10-1 and knocking off #1 top seed Coffeyville in the Jayhawk Regional Tournament as a #7 seed. In her last season at Dodge City, seven of her players made the KJCCC All-Academic team and one of her former players was nominated to the NCCAA Division I All-American team.
Before Dodge City, Reed was the assistant women’s basketball coach at the University of Illinois-Springfield, in Springfield, IL. She helped guide them through the transition from NAIA to NCAA Division II status.
Being a student athlete herself, Reed began her collegiate basketball career at Dodge City Community in Dodge City, KS., where Head Coach Jim Turgeon was her coach. Reed helped Dodge City knock off several national ranked opponents in a tough Kansas Jayhawk League, along with assisting with gaining national recognition; she is still in the record books to this day. After Dodge City, Reed went on to play Division I basketball at Birmingham-Southern College. She led the team in rebounds and steals in her 2004-2005 season.
Reed was born and raised in San Antonio, TX and graduated in 2002 from Sam Houston High School, which is located on the eastside of San Antonio. She lettered in varsity basketball all four years of her high school career, played volleyball, and also threw in Track. Reed received conference MVP and All City accolades her senior year.
She earned her bachelor’s degree in Educational Services from Birmingham-Southern College in 2006 and is currently working on her master’s degree in teaching from Relay Graduate School of Denver; she will graduate in August of 2019.
