Kelly Komara returns home as assistant head coach

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. The legend of the boiler maker joins as head coach Katie Gearlds on the sidelines at Mackey Arena starting next season as Purdue Women’s Basketball welcomed Kelly Komara back home as an assistant head coach.

One of Purdue’s top guards, Komara helped guide the Boilermakers to the 1999 NCAA National Championship and a runner-up finish in 2001. A three-time All-Big Ten selection, the 2001 NCAA Mideast Region Player of the Year and the 2002 Player of the Year. A ten-year defensive player, Komara brings a proven track record of player development and effective recruiting.

Komara spent the last two seasons on Marquette’s staff.

“I never thought I’d meet someone who loves Purdue as much as I do, but Kelly Komara is it,” Gearlds said. “I’m so excited to have Kelly back home to help get Purdue back to where it belongs. Kelly was part of that generation that set the standard. He knows what it takes to get there. I can’t wait to see how much our players benefit from his coaching.” and pure passion for Purdue. It’s always rewarding to welcome another Boilermaker home.”

Komara is one of only seven Boilermakers in history to score over 1,000 points, dish out 400 assists and record 200 assists.

“I’m both incredibly grateful and very excited to be going home,” Komara said. “Katie is a proven winner and a fearless competitor. Her love for our alma mater runs deep. I want to lead Purdue women’s basketball back to the top ten with her. Purdue basketball prides itself on tenacity, integrity, and excellence. The Black and Gold ooze and I can’t wait to be back to Mackey!”

Komara led a dynamic backcourt in Milwaukee the past two seasons, helping the Golden Eagles to back-to-back postseason appearances, including a No. 9 seed in the NCAA Tournament in 2023.

His final campaign at Marquette was highlighted by unanimous All-BIG EAST First Team honoree Jordan King, who finished in the league’s top 10 in scoring and assists. Komara helped Mackenzie Hare and Emily La Chapelle earn BIG EAST All-Freshmen honors in 2022-23. Marquette ranked as one of the BIG EAST’s most efficient offenses, averaging 16.5 assists per game and a 1.22 steals/turnover ratio.

Komara helped the Golden Eagles to a 23-11 record in 2021-22 and reach the third round of the WNIT. Marquette ranked among the nation’s elite in ball movement and passing efficiency. They averaged 18.0 assists per game, ranking eighth in the NCAA, while having a 1.21 assist/turnover ratio. In addition, MU ranked near the top of the league in both field goal percentage (.435) and three-point field goal percentage (.345).

Komara joined the Marquette coaching staff after five years at Vanderbilt under Purdue legend and national championship teammate Stephanie White. Komara served as assistant head coach in 2018-21 after starting as an assistant coach in 2016-18.

Komara has proven to be an exceptional recruiter and talent developer. From 2017 to 2019, he helped sign three consecutive recruiting classes ranked in the top 20 nationally. During her five years at Vandy, she recruited and coached seven SEC All-Conference selections, most notably helping Chelsie Hall earn a spot on the SEC All-Freshman team in 2017-18. In 2019-20, Jordyn Cambridge led the league in steals and earned SEC All-Defensive team honors.

In the 2019-2020 season, Komara oversaw the first Commodore duo to each record more than 100 assists in nearly a decade. Hall led the team with 117 passes, while Cambridge became the first Vanderbilt player with 100+ passes (105) and 80+ passes (85) in a season in more than two decades. Komara also served as the team’s defensive coordinator, director of non-conference schedules, head scout and liaison to the strength and conditioning coach.

Komara was first on the sideline at West Lafayette during two seasons from 2014-16. He helped lead his alma mater to a 20-12 record in 2015-16 and an NCAA Tournament berth. He coached to four All-B1G honors and brought in the ninth-ranked recruiting class in 2015.

In two years in Albany prior to his time at Purdue, Komara helped the team to two NCAA tournament berths while posting a 55-9 (32-1 America East) record. He recruited and developed 14 all-league selections, including two players of the year and a defensive player of the year.

Komara has also worked at Valparaiso, Auburn and Northwestern in various roles.

In 2002, she was drafted by the Indiana Fever in the third round of the WNBA and played professionally with the Grand Rapids Blizzards of the National Women’s Basketball League. Komara also played professionally for the Panathinaikos Basketball club in Athens, Greece.

Komara played at Purdue during arguably the best four-year stretch in program history. The Boilermakers reached the 1999 and 2001 NCAA National Championship Games, four NCAA Tournaments, three Big Ten Series Championships and two Big Ten Tournament Championships.

Purdue went 34-1 in 1998-99, including wins over No. 1 Tennessee and No. 3/4 Louisiana Tech to capture the NCAA national championship and become the only program from the Big Ten to win a women’s basketball national championship.

Komara played in 134 games for the Old Gold and Black, making 99 starts. He averaged 9.4 points, 3.3 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game. In his senior season as team captain in 2001-2002, he reached new heights with 12.7 points, 4.4 rebounds and 4.2 assists. His streak of 120 is still the Purdue single-season record.

Komara ranks 22nd in program history with 1,266 career points, 17th in free throws with 283, 12th with 402 assists, fifth in assists with 297, 10th in games played and 17th in games started.

During his four-year playing career, Komara and the graduating class of 2002 went 112-22 (83.6%), the class’ best winning percentage in program history, and ranked third in total wins. Komara’s class also holds the Purdue record for the best Big Ten winning percentage at 84.4% with a 54-10 mark. The Boilermakers appeared in every AP Top 25 poll, finishing in the top ten in 51 of 74 weeks. Komara finished with 23 wins.

The Purdue administration also awarded him the prestigious Mackey Award and the Varsity Walk Award as a senior.

A native of Schererville, Indiana, and a standout at Lake Central High, Komara was named Indiana’s Miss Basketball after averaging 21.5 points per game. She was the fourth Indiana Miss Basketball to play at Purdue.

Komara earned a bachelor’s degree in physical education from Purdue University in 2002. He earned a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in sports administration from Auburn in 2006.

Komara and his wife Jenni have two children, Kennedy and Hudson.