For the first time in the school’s history, a woman will hold the graduate manager position for the Syracuse University Men’s Basketball Team. It’s a rarity in NCAA men’s basketball.
Katie Kolinski runs the clock on the sidelines as forward Tyler Lydon of the Syracuse Men’s Basketball team runs drills, practicing his shot.
“It’s pretty surreal, it’s literally like a dream come true,” Kolinski said.
Kolinski was already with the team for the past five years as an undergrad, including for two Final Four appearances. But being a graduate manager is a little different.
“I’ll be on the bench now, I’ll be able to help out, listen at coaches meetings, I get to see the coaches behind the scenes a little more,” Kolinski said.
Kolinski played basketball in high school but tore her ACL her sophomore year.
“Since then I became more serious about the coaching side,” Kolinski said.
And the best thing about the coaching side, she said, is watching the players grow and get more confidence.
"I just love coaching, I just love helping people," Kolinski said. "The end goal is you want to see the players grow, you want to see the team do well. As they get to grow, it's a good feeling that you got to help them in a way. I could do that for any age level. I don't care if it was younger kids, if it's college, if it's male, female. The biggest thing for me is just appreciating how much these guys put in, and the time they put in. They might be working on their shooting form, ball handling, progressing their game, maybe one year you’re a shooter and the next year you can put the ball on the floor and make plays."
She said she wants to open the door for more women and encouraged them to break the glass ceiling.
“You just can’t let people say no to you, you just got to keep working, keep going,” Kolinski said.
She will start in the fall and hold the position for two years.
"As games progress, you'll be able to make connections with other schools, you never know what can come your way in two years," Kolinski said. "Positions open up, I'm just going to keep working hard and whatever happens, happens."
She said the target now is to win a championship.
“You know the sky is always the limit.”
