Former Gannon standout Brittany Batts returned to her alma mater as women's basketball assistant coach late in the summer of 2021. She returned to the Golden Knights after being a key player from 2011-15.
Since that time Batts has been synonymous with success while sitting at the right hand of head coach Cleve Wright. Now entering her fourth season, her first three campaigns have seen Gannon post an incredible 88-15 record, with two PSAC Championships, three NCAA Tournament appearances, and a trip to the Elite Eight a year ago.
In fact, Batts was accorded the ultimate compliment for an assistant coach in 2023-24. She was named the WBCA Division II Assistant Coach of the Year. It came with Gannon finishing with a 35-3 record, winning the PSAC and Atlantic Regional championships and making the teams’ third trip to the Elite Eight. Gannon was ranked as high as second in the WBCA Division II Top 25 and entered the Elite Eight as the number one seed.
“I'm so happy for Brittany getting the National Assistant Coach of the Year Award," Wright commented. "She's so deserving of this award – the work that she puts in, the way she cares for our players, the way she cares for our program. Of course, being an alumni, she is Gannon basketball all the way through."
Her main responsibility is working with the guards in every phase of the game. Off the court, she is involved with the student-athletes' academics as well as community service.
"She really has her hands in everything," Wright said. "At this level, it's so important to have somebody who will do anything it takes, and Brittany Batts is willing to do anything it takes."
During the summer Batts joined Wright at the College Basketball Academy at the Rock Hill Sports and Event Center in Rock Hill, South Carolina. The NCAA runs College Basketball Academies for both men's and women's players. It gives prospective men's and women's student-athletes a sample of the college basketball experience.
Batts began her coaching career after completing her playing career in 2015, and now comes full circle as she returns to her alma mater. "I'm so excited to be back at Gannon and working with Coach Wright" she commented at the time. "I made so many great memories here as a student-athlete and look forward to creating many more as a coach. Gannon holds a special place in my heart and I am honored to be able to work with this team and staff every day. I am so grateful for this opportunity and look forward to continuing to build on the tradition of success that the women's basketball program has established on and off the court here."
Batts has already worked as an assistant coach at the Division I, II, and III levels while in the early stages of her coaching career. She joined the Golden Knights after working as an assistant at Division I Chicago State last year.
Prior to that, she was a member of the Shepherd coaching staff in 2018-19 and 2019-20. Batts helped Shepherd rebound from an 11-18 record in 2018-19 to post a 21-9 mark in 2019-20 in its first season of competition in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference. While finishing with a 14-8 record in the PSAC East in 2019-20, three Rams gained All-PSAC East honors as Abby Beeman and Sydney Clayton were accorded first team honors and Marley McLaughlin earned second team recognition. Beeman was also named PSAC East Freshman of the Year.
Batts joined the Shepherd program after serving as an assistant coach at Bridgewater College (Va.) in 2017-18. She helped lead the Eagles to a 13-13 mark while instructing junior guard Brianna Moore to All-ODAC second team honors for the Eagles after averaging 16.5 points and 6.2 rebounds.
Before coaching at Bridgewater, Batts served as a graduate assistant at Castleton University in Vermont from 2015-17. The Spartans posted a 38-21 mark over those two seasons, including 21-6 in 2015-126 and 17-9 in 2016-17.
Batts graduated from Gannon University in 2015 with a Bachelor's Degree in Sports Management with a minor in Advertising Communication. She was a four -year player and three-year starter for the Lady Knights from 2011-15, appearing in 125 career games with 92 starts. Batts averaged 9.2 points over her career and finished with 1,152 points, good for 20th currently in career scoring.Â
Known for her 3-point shooting, she holds the top two season figures for 3-pointers made with 102 in 2012-13 and 93 in 2013-14. She ranks second in career 3-pointers made (286) and attempts (688) and is fifth in 3-point field goal percentage (.416).Â
Batts helped lead the Golden Knights to a 102-24 record and four NCAA postseason appearances, including winning the Atlantic Regional in 2013 to earn a berth in the Elite Eight. The 2012-13 Gannon squad finished with a 31-5 record. She was a three-time PSAC Scholar-Athlete, a second team All-PSAC West Division choice in 2013, and a first team CoSIDA Academic All-District selection at Gannon.
A native of Loudoun County, Virginia, Batts is Loudoun County High School's all-time leading scorer with 2,039 points. She was a three-time All-Region and two-time All-State selection for the Raiders. She now resides in Erie.
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