Gene Hill is in his sixth season as the head coach of the Georgia State women's basketball program.
Named the Georgia State head coach by Director of Athletics Charlie Cobb on April 19, 2018, Hill brought strong ties to Atlanta and a track record of winning as an assistant coach at Power 5 conference programs. He took over as the 11th head coach in GSU history after five seasons on the staff at NC State, which followed a four-year stint at Georgia Tech.
In his first season at the helm, Hill led the Panthers to a historic season in 2018-19, going 17-14 (11-7 Sun Belt) and earning a bid to the WBI, GSU’s first postseason appearance since 2003. Hill’s first year marked the winningest season in GSU history since 2003-04. The seven-win improvement in conference play from the previous year ranked fifth in Division I, and the team’s 11 Sun Belt wins were the most conference wins for GSU since 2004-05. Jada Lewis earned All-Sun Belt honors along with Allison Johnson, and Johnson was named Sun Belt Newcomer of the Year. The Panthers set a school single-season record for most 3-pointers made.
He led one of the youngest teams in Division I in 2019-20 with six freshmen averaging at least 10 minutes per game. The Panthers defeated New Mexico State on Nov. 29 in El Paso, Texas for the program’s 600th win. Senior Shaq Miller-McCray ranked in the national Top 25 with 71 blocked shots on the season, and redshirt junior Jada Lewis became the 22nd Panther all-time to reach 1,000 career points.
Hill and his staff navigated the Covid-19 environment throughout a challenging 2020-21 season, leading GSU to a winning season for the second time in his first three years. The Panthers won the final three games of the regular season to earn the No. 2 seed in the East at the conference tournament. It was the first time the program had earned a No. 2 seed since 2001. Taylor Hosendove earned All-Sun Belt honors after ranking 11th in the league in scoring and fifth in rebounding.
In his fourth season, Hill finished the 2021-22 campaign 13-16 overall. The team held an overall GPA of 3.38, and earned numerous individual accolades with eleven members of the Honor Roll, six members of the Dean’s List, and two members of the President’s List. The 2022-23 squad featured a Top 10 scorer in the Sun Belt in Mikyla Tolivert and a Top 10 rebounder in Deasia Merrill, as well as another strong performance in the classroom, highlighted by a pair of Academic All-Distict selections in Tolivert and Alyssa Phillip.
In his sixth season with the Panthers, Hill finished the 2023-24 season 15-15 (9-9 Sun Belt), his best conference mark since joining the Georgia State women's basketbal staff. The team held an overall GPA of 3.54, and earned 12 individual academic accolades with two President's List, five Dean's List and five Honor Roll honors. Kamryn Dziak, Mikyla Tolivert, Alyssa Phillip and Kaleigh Addie were also named to the Academic All-District team under Hill's helm. The 2023-24 team featured Sun Belt Freshman of the Year Crystal Henderson, and All-Sun Belt First team Mikyla Tolivert, who led the team in scoring and ranked top 10 in the conference for free throws and steals.
Through his first six seasons at GSU, Hill's record stands at 75-98, while his overall record is 87-138, including two seasons at USC Spartanburg (now USC Upstate).
Hill came to Atlanta following five successful seasons helping lead NC State to a 112-52 record, including three NCAA Tournament appearances. In his final season there, Hill helped guide the Wolfpack to a 26-9 record and a berth in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament.
In his first season at NC State (2013-14), Hill helped the Wolfpack to a 25-8 record, a fourth-place finish in the ACC standings, and an NCAA Tournament appearance. After an 18-15 campaign in 2014-15 and a 20-11 season in 2015-16, Hill helped lead the Wolfpack to the NCAA Tournament Round of 32 in 2016-17 with an impressive 23-9 record (12-4 ACC).
He played a large role in mentoring 2017 All-ACC guards Miah Spencer and Dominique Wilson, both of whom were seniors during the successful 2016-17 season, eclipsed the 1,000-point mark at NC State, and went on to play professionally overseas following graduation.
Prior to his five years at NC State, Hill worked at Georgia Tech from 2009-12 as the Yellow Jackets made four consecutive trips to the NCAA Tournament, including the program’s first Sweet 16 appearance in 2012.
Hill was heavily involved in the player development of three WNBA draft picks between 2010-12, including first-rounders Alex Montgomery and Sasha Goodlett at Georgia Tech.
Hill was one of just 14 assistant coaches from around the country chosen to participate in Advocates for Athletic Equity’s (AAE) annual “Achieving Coaching Excellence” (ACE) Professional Development Program for basketball coaches in June 2016. The program is recognized as helping to boost the careers of some of the top minority coaches in the college game.
Prior to joining the Yellow Jackets, Hill served six seasons on the Butler women’s basketball staff, including two years as associate head coach. He worked as the Bulldogs’ recruiting coordinator and assisted with on-court coaching.
Hill joined coach Beth Couture’s first Butler staff in 2002 after serving as the interim head women’s basketball coach at East Carolina University during the 2001-02 season.
The Bulldogs’ resurgence to the upper tier of the Horizon League was due in large part to the talent that Hill accumulated at Butler. His first recruiting class included Jackie Closser and Ellen Hamilton, two players who scored 1,000 points in their Butler careers. Additionally, the Bulldogs landed at least one player on the Horizon League’s All-Newcomer Team in each of Hill’s four years as recruiting coordinator.
Hill was the head women’s basketball coach at USC Spartanburg from 1999-01. While in Spartanburg, he recruited three USA Today Honorable Mention All-Americans and the 2000-01 Peach Belt Conference Freshman of the Year.
From 1997-99, Hill served as an assistant women’s basketball coach at Lander (S.C.) University. He helped lead the Bearcats to their first Peach Belt Conference Tournament championship and earned an NCAA Division II Tournament bid.
Hill graduated from Coker (S.C.) College with a degree in physical education in 1997. He grew up just outside of Atlanta in LaGrange, Ga.
While at Coker, Hill played for the Cobras’ basketball team for one season and also served as the assistant women’s basketball coach for three seasons.
Hill has been invited to attend The Villa 7 Consortium multiple times in Beaverton, Ore., a group of women’s basketball assistant coaches who are considered to be the next generation of rising head coaches in the country.
Hill and his wife, Heidi, have two children: daughter, Genevieve Ashlynn and son Guy Alexander.
HEAD COACH GENE HILL
Born: November 1, 1973
Hometown: LaGrange, Ga.
Alma Mater: Coker (S.C.), 1997
Family: Wife Heidi, daughter Genevieve Ashlynn, and son Guy Alexander
1994-97: Coker (S.C.) College, Assistant Coach
1997-99: Lander (S.C.), Assistant Coach
1999-2001: USC Spartanburg, Head Coach
2001-02: East Carolina, Interim Head Coach
2002-07:Butler, Assistant Coach
2007-09: Butler, Assistant Coach
2009-13: Georgia Tech, Assistant Coach
2013-18: NC State, Assistant Coach
2018-Present: Georgia State, Head Coach
