Hillsman Joins SU Women's Basketball Staff

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – Syracuse head women’s basketball coach Keith Cieplicki has announced the hiring of Quentin Hillsman as an assistant coach for the Orange. Hillsman comes to Syracuse after one season as an assistant at the University of Alabama.

Hillsman will be involved in all facets of the Orange program, including recruiting, player development, scouting and gameplan preparation.

“We’re very excited to have Quentin join our staff,” Cipelicki said. “He brings a tremendous amount of energy and enthusiasm to the court. He has a lot of basketball knowledge that our program can benefit from.”

Prior to his appointment at Alabama, Hillsman spent one season as the head girls’ basketball coach at the The Patterson School in Lenoir, N.C. He guided the squad to a 26-1 record and the 2003-04 independent girls’ prep school national championship.

Hillsman was the head coach at the Laurinburg (N.C.) Institute for one season before his stint at The Patterson School. He guided Laurinburg to an independent national prep school title with a 22-0 record. His resume also includes a prep stop at The Newport School, where he was on the staff of both the girls’ and boys’ teams. In one season as the girls’ head coach, Hillsman produced a 22-7 record. In all, Hillsman has coached 15 women’s players and 10 men’s players that have earned Division I scholarships.

In addition to his prep school experience, Hillsman has several seasons of collegiate experience as an assistant. He has served on the women’s basketball staffs at American University and Siena College, as well as the men’s staff of his alma mater, St. Mary’s College (Md.). While at Siena, Hillsman was on the staff with current Orange associate head coach Matt Luneau. That season, the Saints won the MAAC regular-season and tournament titles and a berth in the 2001 NCAA Tournament.

“Getting to work with Coach Cieplicki and Coach Luneau, two people I’ve known for a long time, is a dream opportunity for me,” Hillsman said. “This program has a lot of potential, and I think I can help it reach its goals.”

A native of Suitland, Md., Hillsman graduated from St. Mary’s in 1993 after a standout playing career with the Seahawks. He led the squad to two Capital Athletic Conference championships and earned all-conference accolades. He set the school’s single-game and single-season assist records. Hillsman finished his senior season ranked in the top 20 in the nation in assists. He was also in the top five for both assists and steals among all Maryland Division II and III schools. Hillsman studied sport management at the United States Sports Academy in Daphne, Ala. from 1994-96.

Syracuse University Athletics

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