Seth Kushkin enters his fifth season, second as the associate head coach, for the University of Denver women's basketball program in 2016-17.
During the 2015-16 campaign, the very youthful Pioneers showed continued improvement throughout the season. Kushkin also played a part in the selection of lone senior Paige Bradley to honorable mention All-Summit League. Bradley also became the 23rd player in program history to record at least 1,000 points for a career. The Pioneers ranked fourth in league play in free-throw percentage. Kushkin also was named Associate Head Coach prior to the start of the season. The 2015-16 Pioneer squad was also named to the Women's Basketball Coaches Association Academic Top 25 Team Honor Roll, compiling a 3.484 cumulative GPA. The team earned a No. 17-ranking among all NCAA Division I institutions across the country.
In the Pioneers third season with Kushkin as an assistant, Denver faced off against Air Force on Dec. 8, 2014, and in that match the Pioneers broke the school record netting 19 3-pointers. DU's 19 3-point baskets ties them for fourth all-time in NCAA Division I women's basketball history for made 3-pointers in a single game. Also in that game, senior guard Morgan Van Riper-Rose nailed 10 3-pointers, which is the most in program history in a single game and ties her for third most all-time in NCAA Division I women's basketball history.
In Kushkin's second season, the Pioneers finished the season with a deep tournament run, ending in the Summit League Championship. In the quarterfinals the Pioneers beat No. 3 seed Fort Wayne and in the semifinal game Denver upset No. 2 seed IUPUI in overtime. The Pioneers advanced to the Summit League Championship Finals against South Dakota. Denver would eventually finish as runners-up in the tournament, falling just one win shy of receiving a NCAA Tournament berth. Denver finished the 2013-14 season ranked in the top 100 nationally in field goal percentage, free throw percentage and three-point field goal percentage. The Pioneer women's basketball program also finished the 2014 academic year ranked no. 14 nationally on the WBCA Top 25 Team Honor Roll after compiling an overall team GPA of 3.498.
In his first season with the Pioneers, Kushkin helped the Denver to a 14-17 record, including an 8-10 mark in WAC play. Denver recorded its first ever road win over a BCS conference school when it defeated Oregon 73-62 on Dec. 2. The Pioneers followed that up with victories over Front Range rivals Northern Colorado, Air Force and Colorado State. Denver finished in the top 100 nationally in scoring offense, rebounding margin, assists per-game and assist-turnover ratio. The Pioneers opened the WAC Tournament with a 73-63 victory over Texas State, before being eliminated by Utah State in the tournament quarterfinals.
Kushkin brings a wealth of coaching experience to the Pioneers' women's basketball staff after having served as the assistant coach during stints with Auburn, Georgia Tech, Ohio State and Purdue.
Prior to serving as the director of athletics at the Laurel School in Cleveland, Ohio, Kushkin spent a season as the assistant women's basketball coach at Auburn University in 2007. His primary responsibilities included recruiting, team scheduling and on-court planning. Kushkin was a member of the Georgia Tech women's basketball coaching staff from 2005-07, assisting in the development of the guards as well as recruiting efforts.
Two of Kushkin's most successful stints as an assistant occurred while coaching at Ohio State (1999-02) and Purdue (1997-99). While at Ohio State, Kushkin helped lead the Buckeyes to the 2001 WNIT championship and helped recruit two nationally ranked classes, including the class of 2001 which was ranked seventh-best in the country.
While at Purdue, Kushkin spent time in Colorado Springs, working with USA Basketball during the summer of 1998. Kushkin graduated from the University of Wisconsin with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English in 1992, and did his postgraduate work at Ohio State in 1993.
Kushkin and his wife Lauren have two daughters - Olivia and Lainey.
