Megan Gebbia - Head Coach - Staff Directory - Wake Forest University Athletics

Staff Directory

Megan Gebbia

Title:
Head Coach
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Megan Gebbia enters her second season as the head coach of the Wake Forest women’s basketball program in 2023-24 after an impressive debut season at the helm.

In just her first season, Gebbia had a host of accomplishments:

Winningest first-year head coach in program history
- 17 wins tied the most since the 2011-12 season
- Tallied the most wins against ACC opponents by a first-year head coach
- Wins over four NCAA Tournament teams including wins over two Elite Eight teams
- Grabbed 12 wins at home, the fourth-highest total in program history
Finished second in program history with 227 threes made
Ended the season ranked fourth in program history with 123 blocks
Held ACC opponents at home to just 19.2 percent shooting from three
- Limited five of nine ACC teams at home to one or less three-pointer made
Increased the team’s assist percentage by nearly 20 percent
Signed a top-25 recruiting class according the ESPNW
- This marks the first time since the 2014 class that the Deacs have signed multiple top-100 players in the same class and just the second time in the ESPNW era.

Gebbia made an impact in her first season as the Deacs grabbed their most wins since the 2011-12 season and led the Demon Deacons to a memorable three-day run at the ACC Tournament. During their three days in Greensboro, Wake Forest had the second-largest halftime comeback in ACC Tournament history, erasing an 18-point halftime deficit to defeat Florida State. It was one of a number of big wins during the first season of the Gebbia era. The Deacs claimed a key road win in the final year of the ACC/Big Ten, defeating Minnetsota in late November.

In the final week of January, the Demon Deacons recorded a pair of wins over eventual Elite Eight teams, taking down Louisville, the first win over the Cardinals in program history, and Miami. Both victories highlighted 12 total wins at Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum, the fourth-highest total in program history.

In the first season of the Gebbia era, Jewel Spear had one of the best scoring seasons by any player in program history, finishing the 2022-23 season with 546 points, the sixth-highest total by a Demon Deacon. En route to garnering All-ACC honors for the second-consecutive season, Spear had 11 20-plus point games including 30-plus points in wins over Coastal Carolina and Louisville.

Spear finished the season with the second-highest three-point total in program history, racking up 93 threes during the season. As a team, Wake Forest had their second-highest total of threes in program history as the motion-style offense of Gebbia produced 227 threes on the season.

The Deacs also got the job done on the defensive side of the ball, blocking 123 shots during the season which ranked fourth in program history and finished the season ranked in the top 100 nationally. Wake Forest also ranked in the top 70 nationally in points per game allowed and in the top 60 nationally in three-point defense.

On the recruiting side, Gebbia signed top talent for her first class, inking a top-25 recruiting class according to ESPNW. It also was the first time since the 2014 class that the Deacs have signed multiple top-100 players in the same class and just the second time in the ESPNW era.

Welcome to the Gebbia Era

Gebbia was announced as the 11th head coach in the program history of Demon Deacons women’s basketball on May 26, 2022.

In her 27 years in coaching, Coach Gebbia has helped her teams reach the NCAA Tournament 12 times including a Sweet Sixteen appearance as an assistant at Marist in 2007. She is American University’s all-time winningest leader and the only head coach in program history to lead the Eagles to the NCAA Tournament. She has been named Patriot League Coach of the Year twice and has led the Eagles to five 20-plus win seasons.

“I'm extremely excited to join the incredible Wake Forest and Winston-Salem community and I am so thankful and appreciative of the opportunity to be the head women's basketball coach at Wake Forest University," said Gebbia. "I'm very appreciative of President Wente and John Currie for giving me the opportunity to fulfill a lifelong dream to coach in the premiere conference in the country and impact the lives of young women as we help them reach their full potential on and off the floor. Wake Forest presents an opportunity to be a part of a special brand at one of the top academic institutions in the country. My highest priority will be spending time and developing relationships with our current student-athletes, alumni and the young women who will make up the future of Demon Deacons basketball.”

During her time at the helm of the American women’s basketball program, Gebbia accumulated a record of 160-105 (.604) including a 106-49 (.684), both the highest totals in program history. She became the all-time wins leader in 2021-22 after her fifth 20-win season with the Eagles.

A two-time Patriot League Coach of the Year, Gebbia's eight years with the Eagles have included three of the most historic seasons in program history starting with the then-program record 24-9 run during the 2014-15 season to lead the team to its first NCAA Tournament appearance. The Eagles topped that performance three years later with a 26-7 overall record to advance into the NCAA Tournament for the second time in program history.

The 23-8 season in 2021-22 ranks third in program history with all three seasons ending in trips to the NCAA Tournament.

Gebbia has mentored some of the top players in program history, including three Patriot League Players of the Year, five Patriot League Scholar-Athletes of the Year, one Patriot League Defensive Player of the Year, one CoSIDA Academic All-American First Team honoree, two CoSIDA Academic All-District selections, two ECAC Division I All-Stars, 25 All-Patriot League selections, and three NCAA Woman of the Year nominees.

Of the five Patriot League Scholar-Athletes of the Year, three were also selected as Patriot League Offensive Players of the Year with Jen Dumiak (2014-15), Emily Kinneston (2017-18) and Cecily Carl (2018-19), making American one of only two teams in league history to have players win both awards in a single season alongside Holy Cross (four from 1995-99).

In her first season in Washington, D.C., she became the winningest first-year coach in program history with a 22-10 record and the program's and Patriot League's first postseason at-large berth, facing Seton Hall in the First Round of the WNIT. A finalist for the Maggie Dixon Division I Rookie Coach of the Year award, Gebbia's squad also ranked 13th among Division I women's basketball teams with a 3.510 GPA to land in the WBCA Academic Top-25 Honor Roll.

Prior to her time at American, she helped build Marist into one of the best mid-major programs in the country. During her 10 seasons with the Red Foxes, Marist advanced to the NCAA Tournament nine times. During that stretch, they won five NCAA Tournament games, defeating Power-5 programs Georgia, Iowa State and Ohio State.

The Red Foxes, who advanced to the 2007 Sweet 16, won the MAAC regular season title every season Gebbia was on staff and won the conference tournament title nine times. Much like at American, Gebbia and the Red Foxes created an impressive home court advantage, compiling a 114-14 record (.891) in her time in Poughkeepsie, N.Y. including an 85-5 record (.944) in conference home games.

Gebbia previously was an assistant coach at Wright State for one season in 2002-03 and an assistant coach at UMBC for six seasons from 1996-02.

She got her start as an assistant coach in 1995-96 at American University.

A native of Frederick, Md., Gebbia was a key player on the 1989 Maryland 2A State Championship Middletown High School women’s basketball team. As a senior she was named Co-Player of the Year by The Frederick News-Post. She played college basketball at Towson University from 1990 to 1994.

Head Coaching Records & Notes

Year	School	Record	Pct.	Conf.	Pct.	Postseason
2022-23	Wake Forest	17-17	.500	5-13	.278	WNIT Second Round
2021-22	American	23-8	.742	13-5	.722	Patriot League Tournament Champions NCAA First Round
2020-21	American	7-4	.636	7-4	.636
2019-20	American	13-17	.433	8-10	.444	N/A due to COVID-19
2018-19	American	22-11	.667	16-2	.889	Patriot League Regular Season Co-Champions WNIT First Round
2017-18	American	26-7	.788	16-2	.889	Patriot League Regular Season and Tournament Champions NCAA First Round
2016-17	American	15-16	.484	11-7	.611
2015-16	American	8-23	.258	5-13	.277
2014-15	American	24-9	.727	16-2	.889	Patriot League Regular Season and Tournament Champions NCAA First Round
2013-14	American	22-10	.688	14-4	.778	WNIT First Round
Total		177-122	.592	111-62	.642	Six Postseason Appearances

Coaching History

Seasons	School/Team	Title
2022-Present	Wake Forest	Head Coach
2013-22	American	Head Coach
2003-13	Marist	Associate Head Coach
2002-03	Wright State	Assistant Coach
1996-02	UMBC	Assistant Coach
1995-96	American	Assistant Coach

Personal Information

Birthday: October 8, 1972
Hometown: Frederick, Md.
Education: Towson ‘94 (B.A., Psychology)

What They’re Saying…

Wake Forest University President Dr. Susan Wente:
- “I am pleased to welcome Megan Gebbia to the Demon Deacon family. She will undoubtedly make a positive impract on the lives of our student-athletes and entire University community."

John Currie, Wake Forest Director of Athletics:
- “Coach Gebbia is a renowned relationship builder who has created a positive team culture and consistent identity for her teams on and off the court while leading American University to three regular-season championships and three tournament championships in nine seasons. Her player development skills are evidenced by three conference Players of the Year, five Patriot League Scholar Athletes of the Year and American's first-ever Academic All-American. She is the perfect fit to lead our student-athletes in maximizing their potential, on and off the court."

American University President Sylvia M. Burwell:
- “Megan is an incredible coach who brings teams together, cultivates talent, and operates with the highest integrity. Congratulations to Megan on this well-deserved recognition and to Wake Forest for recruiting an outstanding leader.”
Dr. Billy Walker, American University Athletics Director:
- “We thank Megan for all her service and tremendous success during her time as our head women’s basketball coach. Beyond the win percentage and league titles, it is her character and tremendous mentorship of our student-athletes that have left an indelible mark on our program. We are thankful for her leadership in making this a benchmark program in the Patriot League and know that the hard work of our returning student-athletes will carry that forward. We wish Megan nothing but the best as she moves on to another chapter of what is already an incredible coaching career.”
Mike Thibault, Head Coach Washington Mystics:
- “I’ve really enjoyed watching Megan’s teams at American play during my time in Washington D.C. I have gotten to know her and observe her great leadership ability. A sign of a great coach is the ability to adapt her team and style to the strengths and weaknesses of her players each season, while consistently competing for championships year after year. I believe Wake Forest has hit the jackpot with the hire of her. I look forward to watching the Demon Deacons in the years to come.”
Brian Giorgis, Marist College Women's Basketball Coach:
- “I just think it is an incredible choice. When I saw the job opening, Megan was actually the first person to come to mind. Wake Forest is an outstanding academic institution with high-level basketball. I think her background in academics and what she brings to the floor as a coach is a perfect match.”
David Aldridge, Sports Journalist and American University alum:
- “I knew this day would come, and I’m sad for us, but thrilled for Megan. I feel she is the best coach we have had at American. She is a winner and wins the right way.”
Jen Dumiak – Patriot League Player of the Year (2015), Academic All-American, PL Scholar Athlete of the Year, Captain of the First Patriot League Championship Team:
- “I think Coach Gebbia’s track record has spoken for itself over her last nine years at American University. (Wake Forest) is getting a great coach who has brought a winning culture to every program she’s worked for. The culture she created among her staff at American was incredible. I am super excited for both Wake Forest and Coach – really looking forward to following her path.”

- Gebbia’s track record has spoken for itself over her last nine years at American University. (Wake Forest) is getting a great coach who has brought a winning culture to every program she’s worked for. The culture she created among her staff at American was incredible. I am super excited for both Wake Forest and Coach – really looking forward to following her path.”