Nike Basketball Camp at Seton Catholic School with Coach Gensler

Camp Coaches

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  Ryan Gensler

  Director

  Ryan Gensler is in his second campaign as Akron's head women's basketball coach for the 2024-25 campaign after being named the 11th coach in the program's 50-year history on March 29, 2023.

  View Ryan's Bio
  

  Ryan Gensler

  Director

  This past season, Gensler led a youthful Zips' squad to an 11-18 record during his inaugural campaign leading Akron.

  "Our goal is to build and sustain a championship-caliber program that contends for MAC titles and NCAA Tournament berths on an annual basis," Guthrie said. "I believe that Ryan brings the vision, experience and deep roots in Ohio that will allow the Zips to reach new heights. "More importantly, during the process Ryan demonstrated a strong commitment to develop well-rounded leaders on the court and in the classroom.”

  “I am absolutely thrilled to join the Akron Zips family,” Gensler said. “I want to thank President Gary L. Miller, Director of Athletics Charles Guthrie and the team of administrators for their confidence in me to lead this program. We will work tirelessly to help our student-athletes compete with a championship mentality on the court, in the classroom, and in the Akron community.”
  
  Gensler came to Akron with more than a decade of coaching experience at the NCAA Division I level. He spent the 2022-23 campaign at Big Ten Conference member Illinois, where he served as assistant coach for the Illini. In his lone season in Champaign, Gensler helped guide Illinois to its ninth NCAA Tournament appearance and first since the 2002-03 campaign.

  Illinois secured the biggest one-year turnaround in Big Ten Conference play in program history, garnering 10 more victories (11) than last season's total (1). This tied the best one-year league improvement in wins in conference history. Illinois won 15 more games (22) than last season's total of seven. The one year overall improvement is the largest in program history, and the third largest turnaround in conference history.

  Gensler joined Illinois after a five-year run at the University of Dayton, where he helped guide the Flyers to three NCAA Tournament berths and a pair of WNIT appearances. During his time at Dayton, the Flyers won four Atlantic 10 regular season titles and one tournament championship.

  Gensler was selected to participate in the 2021 TopConnect Leadership Institute. TopConnect (formerly Villa 7). This summit identifies the top basketball assistant coaches and senior level athletics administrators in the country and provides them the necessary skills and relationships to assist them on their career path.

  Gensler played a key role in the Flyers’ recruiting efforts, including serving as the staff’s recruiting coordinator in his final season. During his tenure, Dayton twice secured the top-rated recruiting class in the A-10 in 2019 and 2020, while also inking the league’s No. 2 class in 2018. The 2020 class also ranked among the top 25 nationally.

  Gensler came to Dayton after spending two seasons on the University of Florida women's basketball staff where he served as the program’s video coordinator. In 2017, he was named the Co-National Basketball Video Coordinator of the Year by the Collegiate Sports Video Association (CSVA) Executive Board. He was also on the staff for the 2015-16 season in which the Gators went 22-9 and earned a berth in the NCAA Tournament.

  Prior to his time in Gainesville, Gensler was an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator for Loyola-Maryland from 2013-15, and an assistant coach at St. Bonaventure from 2011-13 – a stretch that saw the Bonnies capture the 2012 A-10 regular season championship en route to a Sweet 16 appearance.

  Gensler served as the director of basketball operations/graduate assistant coach at Providence College from 2008-12.

  A native of Syracuse, N.Y., Gensler, earned his bachelor's degree in political science with a minor in business from Saint Joseph's University in 2009. In 2011, he completed his master's degree in education, guidance, and counseling from Providence.

  Gensler and his wife, Leanna, have sons, Jackson and Nolan, and a dog, Benny.

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  Deja Ford

  Director of Basketball Operations

  Deja Ford is in her second season at Akron following a standout playing career at the College of Charleston. The Waldorf, Md., native is in her second season serving as the team's director of basketball operations for the 2024-25 campaign.

  View Deja's Bio
  

  Deja Ford

  Director of Basketball Operations

  Ford handles the day-to-day business operations of the team with a primary focus on travel coordination and community outreach projects.
  
  Ford, who was a four-year letterwinner with the Cougars, surpassed the 1,000-point plateau at the College of Charleston, where she garnered All-Colonial Athletic Association third-team accolades as a senior and was named the department’s Female Athlete of the Year in 2020.
  
  Ford earned her bachelor’s degree in in psychology with a minor in coaching in 2020 before going on to culminate her master’s degree in education with a concentration in leadership from Saint Francis University in 2023. While with the Red Flash, she served as a graduate assistant with the women’s basketball squad where she worked as the video coordinator, while assisting travel and equipment and did individual workouts.
  
  A two-time first-team all-league selection, Ford attended St. Mary's Ryken High School in Leonardtown, Md., where she surpassed 1,000 career points and averaging 16.8 points per game. She earned all-state, all-region and all-district honors as a senior.