Kaci Bailey finished her third year as an assistant women's basketball coach at George Mason in 2019-20.
In 2018-19, Bailey helped Mason capture 16 regular season wins, including eight Atlantic 10 victories. It marked the second consecutive winning season - a feat the Patriots had not achieved in 15 years. The 40 wins over the last two seasons are also a program record for most wins over a two-year span in program history.
In 2017-18, Bailey helped the Patriots to one of the best seasons in program history and tied for the 10th-best one-season turnaround in the nation with a nine-game turnaround (which factors in total wins and losses). Their plus-11 wins from just 13 the year before was also one of the best in the country.
Mason set a school record for wins (24), made the postseason for just the third time in program history - and first in 14 years - and won a postseason game for the first time in program history as they reached the second round of the WNIT. The 24-10 record marked Mason's first winning season in 14 years. They also finished fourth in the Atlantic 10 with 11 conference wins for their highest conference finish and most conference wins since 2003-04. Mason also set program records for longest home winning streak (13 games) and most home wins (17) during the 2017-18 season. The Patriots' 11 non-conference victories were their most in 30 years.
Bailey also helped mentor 2017-18 Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Year Nicole Cardaño-Hillary, who ranked third in the conference in scoring (17.8 ppg) and first in steals (84). The point guard also was named to the Atlantic 10 All-Conference Third Team, the A-10 All-Defensive Team and the All-Rookie Team. In addition, she was named the VaSID Rookie of the Year.
Bailey spent the previous two seasons at Wichita State and has more than eight years of experience coaching on the collegiate level.
Bailey served as recruiting coordinator for the Shockers the last two seasons. She helped Wichita State finish fifth in the Missouri Valley last year and reach the semifinals of the conference tournament.
She is no stranger to teams coached by Milleson. As a student-athlete at Southern Illinois University, Bailey played against Milleson when she was the head coach at Missouri State.
"I want to thank Coach Milleson and the rest of the Patriot staff for this opportunity," Bailey said. "Having played against Coach Milleson in college, I know what type of team she's capable of putting on the floor. I am excited to work with the student-athletes to help them achieve their goals on and off the court. I am thrilled to join a program that is headed for greatness."
Prior to her time at Wichita State, she spent two seasons at Central Arkansas. The Sugar Bears were 17-14 in 2014-15. In her first season in 2013-14, Central Arkansas went 18-12 and was just a win away from winning the Southland Conference championship.
In her time at Central Arkansas, Bailey helped develop Courtney Duever from a third team all-conference selection in 2013 to the Southland Conference Player of the Year in 2014. She also helped Brianna Mullins earn Freshman of the Year accolades.
Before Central Arkansas, Bailey spent one season as interim head coach at Henderson State University, guiding the Lady Reddies to a 13-14 record in 2012-13 after being named interim head coach in early November. She had spent the previous season as an assistant with the Lady Reddies before assuming the head coaching duties. Prior to her time at Henderson State, she worked for two seasons as a graduate assistant at Arkansas-Monticello.
A native of Dresden, Tenn., Bailey played four years at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, Ill. During her time at SIU, she played in 101 games and started 24. She helped the Salukis win a Missouri Valley Conference championship in 2007 and reach the WNIT.
During her prep career at Dresden, she scored 1,482 points (third most in school history) and broke school records in 3-pointers made (257) and free throw percentage (84.5). She was a first team all-state, all-region and all-district selection during her senior season, averaging 15 points per game.
Bailey is a 2009 graduate of Southern Illinois with a bachelor's degree in recreation with a double minor of business marketing and psychology. In 2011, she received her master's degree in sports management from the University of Arkansas-Little Rock.
