UPEI women’s basketball coach steps down

University of Prince Edward Island Women’s Basketball head coach Greg Gould announced at a team meeting on Thursday that he will be retiring from the University. 

Coach Gould joined the Panthers in 2012, taking over a team that had a three-year, 2-58 record. He leaves the Women’s Basketball program with a 43-57 record, qualifying for the playoffs each year and leading the team to one of its most successful seasons in the last decade.

This year, the UPEI women’s squad went 11 and 9 during the regular season, beating every team in conference, and then went on to defeat the University of New Brunswick Varsity Reds in the quarterfinals and the Cape Breton University Capers in the semi-finals at the Atlantic University Sport (AUS) women's basketball championship. They came up just short against the U SPORTS third-ranked Acadia Axewomen to take home the silver medal.   

“Greg Gould is an experienced, committed, and highly successful coach. We thank him for taking our program through two growth cycles, both resulting in the women’s team reaching the AUS finals,” said UPEI Director of Athletics and Recreation Chris Huggan. “In addition to the team’s success, with Greg at the helm, many of our student-athletes achieved individual recognitions both at the AUS and U SPORTS level.”

Gould said he did not want word of his retirement to be released before he could tell his players, so he did so in person before team members disperse for the summer.

“After 48 years of coaching, it is time to retire and spend more time with family and friends. I have so many great memories of my players and I have met so many wonderful people through my time coaching,” said Gould. “I would like to thank everyone who helped me during my five years here at UPEI, especially my assistant coaches who contributed so much to the success of the program. It is satisfying to know that I am leaving the Women’s Basketball team in better shape than I found it, and I believe the foundation has been laid for the program to challenge for AUS championships for years to come.”

Hailing originally from Moncton, New Brunswick, Gould coached the Panthers from 2012–14 and from 2015–18. Prior to that, he led girls’ basketball teams at Moncton, Fredericton, and Riverview high schools, taking them six times to the New Brunswick Interscholastic Athletic Association (NBIAA) AAA provincial championships. He also coached at the post-secondary level, including the St. Thomas University and New Brunswick Teachers' College women's teams, and for a variety of provincial basketball teams. Gould is a recipient of the Atlantic Colleges Athletic Association (ACAA) Coach of the Year, Basketball New Brunswick Coaches Award, and the NBIAA Women's Coach of the Year award.

“We will have big shoes to fill,” added Huggan. “On behalf of UPEI Athletics and Recreation, I wish Greg the very best as he enters retirement. He will always be a member of our Panther family, and we hope to carry on his legacy.”

A search for a new coach will begin immediately.