Fran Recchia
Current position
TitleHead coach
TeamKent State
ConferenceMAC
Record0–0 (–)
Biographical details
Born (1983-09-13) September 13, 1983 (age 42)
Alma materVirginia Tech
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
2005-06Virginia Tech (GA)
2007–2010William Byrd High School
2010–2012Radford (asst.)
2012-13Tusculum College (asst.)
2013–2016Radford (asst.)
2016–2018Kent State (asst.)
2018–2026Kent State (assoc. HC)
2026–presentKent State
Head coaching record
Overall0–0 (–)

Frances Townsend Recchia (born September 13, 1983) is an American women's basketball head coach and former player.[1] She is the current head coach of the Kent State University women's basketball team.[2]

Early life and education

Fran Recchia is from Flower Mound, Texas where she graduated from Edward S. Marcus High School.[3] She earned a scholarship to play basketball at Virginia Tech under head coach Bonnie Henrickson where she was a guard from 2001-05. She earned a bachelor's degree physical education from Virginia Tech in 2004. After her playing career was complete she was a graduate assistant under Beth Dunkenberger for one season with the Virginia Tech Hokies where she earned a master's degree in education in 2006.[3]

Coaching career

Her first head coaching job was at William Byrd High School beginning in 2007.[4] Her first collegiate coaching job was as a assistant under Tajama Abraham Ngongba at Radford from 2010 through 2012. She served as an assistant at Tusculum College before returning to Radford as an assistant under new head coach Mike McGuire where she remained until 2016.[4]

Kent State

From 2016 through 2026 she served as an assistant on Todd Starkey's staff at Kent State, becoming the associate head coach in 2018.[5][6] The Golden Flashes improved by 13 games in her first season as an assistant as they won the East division of the MAC.[7][8] They earned another East division title in 2020.[9] In her later years under Starkey, Kent State won the 2024 MAC women's basketball tournament and advanced to the 2024 NCAA tournament.[10]

On March 26, 2026, Starkey accepted the associate head coach position at Arizona and Recchia was promoted to head coach.[11][12]

Head coaching record

Record table
Season Team Overall Conference Standing Postseason
Kent State Golden Flashes (Mid-American Conference) (2026–present)
2026–27[13] Kent State 0–0 0–0
Kent State: 0–0 (–) 0–0 (–)
Total: 0–0 (–)

      National champion         Postseason invitational champion  
      Conference regular season champion         Conference regular season and conference tournament champion
      Division regular season champion       Division regular season and conference tournament champion
      Conference tournament champion

Source:[14]

References

  1. ^ "Fran Recchia". Virginia Tech Athletics. Retrieved March 22, 2026.
  2. ^ Popovich, Mike (March 16, 2026). "Kent State promotes Fran Recchia to women's basketball head coach". Akron Beacon Journal. Retrieved March 22, 2026.
  3. ^ a b "Fran Recchia". Radford Athletics. Retrieved March 22, 2026.
  4. ^ a b "Fran Recchia". Kent State Athletics. Retrieved March 22, 2026.
  5. ^ "Women's Basketball Staff Set". Kent State Atletics. June 30, 2016. Retrieved March 22, 2026.
  6. ^ "Starkey Announces Promotions on Women's Basketball Staff". Kent State Atletics. July 9, 2016. Retrieved March 22, 2026.
  7. ^ "2016-17 Women's Basketball Standings". Mid-American Conference. Retrieved March 22, 2026.
  8. ^ "Kent State's Women's Basketball Head Coach Todd Starkey Departing, Fran Recchia Named Seventh Head Coach". Mid-American Conference. Retrieved March 22, 2026.
  9. ^ "2019-20 Women's Basketball Standings". Mid-American Conference. Retrieved March 22, 2026.
  10. ^ Mascitti, Carly. "'It still feels unreal': Kent State prepares for first NCAA tournament appearance in decades". News 5 Cleveland. Retrieved 2022-05-26.
  11. ^ Lev, Michael (March 17, 2026). "Arizona women's basketball adds former Kent State head coach Todd Starkey to staff". Tucson Arizona Daily Star. Retrieved March 22, 2026.
  12. ^ Carey, Tyler (March 16, 2026). "Kent State women's basketball coach Todd Starkey leaves to take assistant job at Arizona". WKYC 3 Cleveland. Retrieved March 22, 2026.
  13. ^ "2026-27 Women's Basketball Schedule". Kent State University Athletics. Retrieved March 22, 2026.
  14. ^ "Fran Recchia". Sports Reference. Retrieved 2024-05-15.