Usha Gilmore begins her first season with the Southern Illinois University women’s basketball program.

Gilmore joins the Saluki staff from Wagner College, where she coached for two seasons following a successful career both professionally in the WNBA and collegiately at Rutgers University.

Gilmore spent the 2000-01 season as a reserve guard for the Indiana Fever of the WNBA. She was the team’s community relations representative and appeared in numerous speaking engagements which promoted health and education.

Over the course of the past seven seasons, Gilmore has been the lead basketball instructor at numerous basketball camps, including the Highlight Basketball Camp in Chicago, Ill., C. Vivian Stringer Basketball Camps in New Brunswick, N.J., and the Nike All-American Basketball Camp in Indianapolis, Ind.

During her collegiate career at Rutgers, she experienced four Big East Conference Tournaments, three NCAA Tournaments and the 2000 NCAA Women’s Basketball Final Four in her senior season.

The lanky guard was named to the Big East All-Rookie team following the 1996-97 season after averaging more than eight points and three rebounds. In her senior season, Gilmore ranked fourth on the team in scoring.

Prior to her career at Rutgers, Gilmore was named Gatorade Player of the Year in South Carolina and was the state’s Miss Basketball.