Photo by Pete Meshanic, d3photography.com

Emily Garner, who lifted Trinity (Conn.) to new heights during eight seasons at the helm, has been named women's basketball head coach at Cornell University, the Division I school in New York. Garner becomes the eighth head coach in school history and replaces Dayna Smith, who spent the previous 21 years directing the program.

Garner was one of two Division III women's basketball head coaches to transition directly to a D-I head coaching job in a 24-hour span, including Transylvania coach Juli Fulks, who took the head coaching job at Marshall. In all, nine coaches have made that jump in the past six seasons. A full list is at the bottom of this article.

• More moves in Coaching Carousel

"In Emily, I believe we've found a coach who not only cares deeply about the student-athlete experience but has also demonstrated the ability to elevate the competitive success of teams at academically rigorous institutions," said athletic director Nicki Moore. "From her experiences at winning programs as an assistant coach to her playing experience at Lafayette, and especially having developed as a head coach for eight years, Emily has all the skills and owns the intangibles necessary to elevate Big Red basketball. In addition, our committee and I genuinely enjoyed spending time with her, and could imagine her thoughtfully mentoring our student-athletes and developing them as high-level players and people. I'd also like to thank Jenna McLaughlin and the team at Korn Ferry for their tireless work in assisting us finding the right fit for the position. I am thrilled to welcome Emily to Ithaca."

"I am incredibly grateful and excited for the opportunity to serve as the Rebecca Quinn Morgan '60 head women's basketball coach at Cornell University," Garner said. "A heartfelt thank you to Dr. Nicki Moore and the search committee for entrusting me with leading our student-athletes in their pursuit of excellence on the court, in the classroom, and in the community. Cornell is a special place, and I'm looking forward to building relationships and working to create a strong competitive tradition in the Ivy League."

Garner guided Trinity (Conn.) to a pair of NCAA Tournament appearances (2023, 2024) and the school's first-ever NESCAC regular season title. Her teams posted a 124-55 record, including a 96-35 mark over her final five seasons, while playing in the most competitive league in Division III. Taking over a program that had historically occupied the bottom half of the standings in her conference prior to her arrival, Garner led her Trinity to the league tournament in each of her final six seasons, reaching the championship game for the first time in program history in 2023.

The 2021-22 NESCAC Coach of the Year, Garner was named D3hoops.com Region 1 Coach of the Year in 2022-23 after guiding the Bantams to a school-record 25 wins, the conference's regular season title, and an eventual NCAA Elite Eight appearance. Her teams have been among the top defensively in the country over the past three years, ranking in the top 40 nationally in scoring defense (36th in 2022, 18th in 2023, 24th in 2024) while taking care of the basketball (top 30 nationally in fewest turnovers in both 2023 and 2024). A total of 30 players were named to the NESCAC All-Academic Team during her time leading the program.

Garner's commitment to player development led to four major conference award winners in the conference, including three different Defensive Players of the Year, and a two-time All-American.

An engaged member of the Trinity community, Garner served on the Task Force for Women, the Athletics DEI Committee, and the Task Force for Campus Climate, and served as an assistant professor of Physical Education, ultimately receiving recognition on the college's "50 for the Next 50" list, honoring women who would have a lasting impact on the future of Trinity College.

She previously served as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at Army West Point from 2012-16, helping the Black Knights to four postseason appearances, including a pair of NCAA appearances, and a 99-28 record. Army West Point also played in two WNIT's during her time on the sidelines and she coached a pair of conference players of the year. In her final season under head coach Dave Magarity, the Black Knights went 29-3 and won regular season and tournament titles in the Patriot League.