Nike Basketball Camp at Seton Catholic School with Coach Gensler

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.

“Erin has been an incredible coach, recruiter, and role model for student-athletes wherever she has gone,” Akron head coach Ryan Gensler commented. “Her ability to connect and lead some of the nation’s best players has me excited for her impact here at Akron. “

Mills-Reid came to Akron after spending two seasons (2021-2023) as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at Stephen F. Austin. At Stephen F. Austin, she was part of a staff that won 56 games over the course of two seasons en route to advancing to the postseason both years (NCAA No. 12 seed in 2022 | WNIT in 2023), and won the WAC regular season and tournament championships during the 2021-22 campaign.

Prior to her arrival at Stephen F. Austin, Mills-Reid served six campaigns as associate head coach and recruiting coordinator at the United States Air Force Academy, where she spearheaded efforts that resulted in having three Mountain West top-three recruiting classes. During the 2017-18 campaign, she helped guide Kaelin Immel to Air Force's first-ever Mountain West Freshman of the Year award.

Prior to her arrival at Stephen F. Austin, Mills-Reid served six campaigns as associate head coach and recruiting coordinator at the United States Air Force Academy, where she spearheaded efforts that resulted in having three Mountain West top-three recruiting classes. While many of her recruits finished their careers in the Top 10 in nearly every statistical category, two of her recruits (Riley Snyder and Kaelin Immel) broke the program scoring record in consecutive seasons. During Mills-Reid's her tenure, Air Force established new heights with the most conference wins in program history.

Additionally, she worked at Cincinnati for one season as director of basketball operations after serving five campaigns as assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at the United States Military Academy at West Point.

The Black Knights reached the NCAA tournament for just the second time in 2013-14, earning the 13 seed on the strength of a Patriot League title. Under Mills-Reid's tutelage, guard Kelsey Minato was named 2014 Patriot League Player of the Year and Patriot League Tournament MVP. Minato is also recognized as the Patriot League’s all-time leading scorer. Additionally, Army captured the 2012-13 regular-season championship in the Patriot League with Minato being tabbed both the Player and Rookie of the Year.

She got her collegiate coach start working two seasons as assistant coach at Bloomfield College (2007-09) and one in the same capacity at Mercyhurst College (2006-07).

A four-year letterwinner at Farleigh Dickenson, Mills-Reid was team captain as a senior. She also played two seasons in centerfield for the Knights' softball team.

A Wilmington, Del., native, Mills-Reid graduated from Fairleigh Dickinson University in 2005 with a bachelor’s degree in history and earned a master’s degree in education for certified teachers one year later. Mills-Reid was a Northeast Conference Scholar-Athlete in all eight semesters of her playing career, making the dean's list and graduated magna cum laude.

Mills-Reid is married to Blake Reid, and the couple has three sons, Hayden (5), Carter (2), and Bryson (three months).