Central Connecticut State University Women's Basketball

Bio Central Connecticut State announced Kristin Caruso has been named the seventh head coach of the CCSU women’s basketball team. “I am pleased to welcome Kristin Caruso into the Central family as the next head coach of our women’s basketball team.  Coach Caruso has a basketball pedigree that many admire.  She is dedicated to her student athletes in a way that exudes passion for the sport and compassion for their commitment to the team and game,” said Central Connecticut State University President Zulma R. Toro. Caruso led the Blue Devils to a 9-6 mark during her time as acting coach during the 2024-25 season. That resulted in a third-place finish in the NEC standings, the most wins in a season since 2016-17 and a home NEC Tournament game for the first time since 2015. Belle Lanpher was named the NEC Player of the Year, the first Blue Devil to do so in program history. “We are excited to welcome Kristin as our next head women’s basketball coach,” said Tom Pincince, Director of Athletics. “Her background, including her playing and coaching experience, make her a logical fit to lead our women’s basketball program.  We appreciate her efforts during the past season, and we look forward to watching our program grow and compete under her leadership.”   The head coaching position will be the third for Caruso, who was named the head coach at Marist for the 1998-99 season. She spent four seasons at the helm of the Red Foxes, in the program’s early seasons as a member of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference. She initially joined Marist as the program’s recruiting coordinator in 1997-98 and position she held while she served as an assistant coach at Duquesne University from 1993-96. Caruso’s second head coaching stop was at Longwood, where she was at the helm from 2007-2010 when the Lancers were playing as a Division I Independent. Prior to Longwood she was the associate head coach at the University of Hartford (2002-07), helping the Hawks to back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances. In 2006, the Hawks defeated Temple in the NCAA First Round. “I would like to thank Dr. Toro, Sal Cintorino and Tom for the opportunity to lead the women’s basketball program,” said Caruso. “I am excited for the challenge that lays in front of us, but am confidant that our student-athletes, coaches, staff and University are committed to the success of our Blue Devils!” Caruso, a graduate of the University of Connecticut, played for the Huskies from 1986-1990, including the program’s first NCAA Final Four appearance. She appeared in 110 games during her career, scoring 1,244 points (11.3 ppg) and 564 rebounds (5.1 rpg). Caruso began her coaching career at her alma mater, under Basketball Hall of Famer Geno Auriemma, from 1990-93. The 2025-26 campaign will be the 40th Division I season for the CCSU women’s basketball program and 55th overall, dating back to the inaugural 1971-72 campaign. The Blue Devils have two WNIT appearances and earned a share of the Northeast Conference regular season title in 2014-15.

Bio Julianna Bonilla joined the CCSU coaching staff in April of 2025. (Read more) She graduated cum laude in May, 2023 from Marist University with a B.A. in Psychology. She graduated from Southern Connecticut State in May 2025 with her Master's Degree in Social Work and earned her LMSW in June of that year. AT CCSU Central Connecticut State University, Assistant Coach (April 2025 - present) COACHING CAREER  Southern Connecticut State University, Assistant Coach (2024-25) Contributed to player development, team strategy and game preperation, helping Owls to 19-10 record Mentored student-athletes in balancing academics and athletics PLAYING CAREER  Southern Connecticut State University (2023-24) Fall 2023 NE-10 Conference Academic Distinction Averaged 28.7 minutes a game for the Owls, with 6.3 points and 2.7 rebounds per game Marist University (2019-23) Helped Red Foxes to the NCAA Tournament in 2021,winning the MAAC Tournament Appeared in 91 games at Marist Two-time team captain for Red Foxes women's basketball team Three-time MAAC All-Academic Team    

Bio Erica Covile joined the CCSU women’s basketball staff as an assistant coach on November 2, 2023. Covile came to Central with five years of experience as a former professional player overseas from 2016-2021. Covile spent the 2021-22 season as an assistant coach at Bryn Athyn (PA), and as the director of women's basketball operations at Yale Univeristy in 2022. AT CCSU Assistant Coach (2023-present) Coached program's first NEC Player of the Year (Belle Lanpher, 2025) Mentored three All-Northeast Conference honorees BEFORE CCSU University of Bryn Athyn (Pa.) College (2021-22), Assistant Coach Helped the Lions make their first playoff appearance since 2016-17. They fell in the quarterfinals of the Colonial States Athletic Conference Championship Tournament. Yale, Director of Women's Basketball Operations (2022-2023) Coached the Ivy League Co-Defensive Player of the Year. Coached a top 10 finalist for the Nancy Lieberman Award as the best point guard in the country. PLAYING EXPERIENCE Romania, Spain, Belgium, Australia, Finland (2016-21), professional player Spent the 2020-21 campaign with Satu Mare in Romania, averaging nearly 10 points per game. Temple University (2012-16) Third Team American Athletic Conference Second Team Philadelphia Big 5 (2015) WNIT Final Four (2014-15) Finished career with 1,076 points

Bio Courtney Gomez was announced as an assistant coach on the women’s basketball staff on September 9, 2025 (read more). Gomez is a native of Norwich, CT, and played collegiately at the University of Hartford. Gomez graduated from the University of Hartford with a Bachelor of Health Science in 2008. She earned a Doctor of Physical Therapy in 2010 from Hartford. AT CCSU Assistant Coach (2025-present) BEFORE CCSU Norwich Free Academy (2019-25), Girls Basketball Head Coach Served as Assistant Coach from 2015-18 Inducted into NFA Athletics Hall of Fame (2023) Varsity "N" Club leader, organizing student-athlete community engagement Served as 1 of 8 CHSCA representatives Connecticut High School girls basketball rules, changes and divisions Responsible for input on officiating changes, scheduling, state tournament scheduling, all-state selections Connecticut College (2018-19), Women's Basketball Assistant Coach Connecticut STORM AAU (2015-22), Head Coach Head coach of 10 Premier - 2017 Head coach of 11 Premier - 2015 Assistant coach of 9 Premier OTHER COACHING EXPERIENCE Wildcat Hoop School (2019-25), Norwich Free Academy, Owner/Organizer Summer basketball camp for Norwich youth in grades 4-6 Mercy High School (2009-10), Volunteer Girls Basketball Coach State champion runner-up - 2010 PLAYING EXPERIENCE University of Hartford (2004-08) Tri-captain (2008) 4 America East Championship Appearances 3 America East Conference Champions (2005, 2006, and 2008) 3 NCAA Tournament Appearances (2005, 2006, and 2008) 2 First Round NCAA tournament victories (2006 vs. Temple, 2008 vs. Syracuse) Student Athlete Advisory Council (2005-08), President University Values Committee (2008-09), Member NCAA Certification Committee (2005-07), Member Norwich Free Academy (High School Career) 4 year starting point guard for NFA 3 state championship appearances and 2 state championships (2001, 2002) 4 ECC Championships, 2 undefeated seasons (2001, 2002) 2-time CT All-State basketball player Norwich Bulletin and The Day Player of the Year (2003, 2004) New Haven Register Player of the Year (2004)

Bio Hazuki Inamine joined the CCSU coaching staff ahead of the 2025-26 season. She graduated from Edogawa University in Japan in 2021 with a degree in Sociology. She graduated from the University of Connecticut in May, 2025, with her Master's Degree in Sports Management. AT CCSU Central Connecticut State University, Assistant Coach (August 2025 - present) CAREER EXPERIENCE  University of Connecticut, UConn Husky Nutrition & Sport, Graduate Assistant (2023-25) University of Connecticut, Women's Basketball Team, Video Assistant (2023-25) PRIDE Run (Fukuoka, Japan), Basketball Coach (2021-22) Nishihara High Schol (Japan), Volunteer Assistant Coach (2022)