On Nov. 14, Davidson vice president and director of athletics Chris Clunie announced the extension of ninth-year head coach Gayle Fulks’ contract through 2032.
“I’ve found my fit. I love being at Davidson,” Fulks told The IX Basketball. “I wanted to really plant here and really invest in growing our program to be the best that it can be, ’cause I really believe it can be one of the best programs in the country.”
She believes the length of the contract demonstrates the athletic department’s and the university’s commitment to women’s basketball.
“They wanted us to be able to recruit with security, to be able to tell families and parents and prospects about the stability of our situation,” Fulks said. “And I think that what it does is it allows us to have continuity in staff, it allows us to have continuity in players and it allows us to keep growing.”
Fulks has led the Wildcats to a 4-3 record so far this season and has already recorded five winning seasons.
Last season, Davidson won a program-best 13 A-10 games as well as earned its highest seed — No. 3 — and its first double bye in the Atlantic 10 Tournament. The team also advanced to the semifinals for the first time since joining the conference in 2014. The 2024-25 season also saw Fulks leading the Wildcats to the team’s third postseason berth during her tenure and first WBIT appearance.
Davidson is a young team this season, with three freshmen, six sophomores on scholarship, four juniors and one senior. While Fulks said the team is focused on trying to improve every day and reaching its full potential, the Wildcats also have their eye on what would be the program’s first A-10 championship.
Over the rest of her contract, Fulks believes that continuing to bring in the right people will be key. She wants to continue to invest in her players and staff as well as continue to get better every day and every year.
Junior guard Katie Donovan wasn’t surprised by the news of her coach’s contract extension.
“She works really hard for this program. She’s done great things for it,” Donovan told The IX Basketball. “So I’m really happy for her, and I’m really excited to see what she does with the program.”
