Ohio assistant coach Abby Garnett isn’t too far removed from lighting up The Convo between the sidelines; Garnett was a forward for Ohio until 2023. Now, only a year after retiring from playing basketball, Garnett fills a role from just outside the sidelines for Ohio.
Garnett was inspired by the coaches she had at Ohio, so much so she decided to use her experiences as a player to give back to the university as a coach.
“I was able, as a player, to see the court from all sides of view, so not playing, being injured, to being in the starting five,” Garnett said. “I wanted to take all of that knowledge and pour it into girls.”
During her time as a player, Garnett listened closely to the knowledge Ohio coach Bob Boldon imparted to her. Having built Boldon’s knowledge up over five years with the team, it seems fitting coaching was the next step.
“With as much as I learned as a player, I was excited to learn the strategy side of things that (Bob Boldon) makes decisions on,” Garnett said. “I couldn't be more grateful that I'm learning under the person who was a part of my college career for the last five years.”
Garnett didn’t have the end to her collegiate basketball career that she wanted. In her fourth season, Garnett played only two games before being sidelined for almost the whole season. In her final season with Ohio, the team only won six of its 29 games.
The misfortune Garnett faced late in her career left her hungry for more.
“I wanted to flip the script of what the last couple seasons have been and hopefully be a part of getting back to where this program’s standards are,” Garnett said. “That was something I was excited to have the opportunity to do, and just enter a new world for my first year being a coach.”
The game of basketball is something that found Garnett and has had a substantial impact on her life, her play and now, her coaching style. The Golden, Colorado, native coaches with passion and respect, two things that made her feel at home in Athens.
“It goes back to why I committed to the program,” Garnett said. “Obviously, (Boldon’s) winning track record, but also the genuine relationships … we care about the person first, and then, ‘How are we going to develop these players and help win games?’”
Garnett shared the court with several current players on the team which has allowed her to have more complex relationships with them. As a coach, Garnett has had to learn to balance those relationships to succeed in her new role.
“There was a mutual respect entering, which I was very grateful for on both sides,” Garnett said. “I am a shoulder to lean on, but I’m also trying to get the most out of each other's experiences. So holding them to that standard that I was held to was an easier transition for me.”
Garnett believes that through her extended relationships with current players, she has been able to become a better coach. As a coach, Garnett tries to spread positivity and be a good energy in the locker room.
“If we were to drag our feet going to practice, we're not going to get the best out of (our players),” Garnett said. “It honestly takes more energy for me to be negative than positive … I try to be as positive as I can.”
Garnett hopes her passion and respect for players will help bring change to a lack of recent success at Ohio. She will look to lead by example but also never forget the lessons she learned from Boldon and others who have gotten her this far. She hopes these women will be given the best opportunity to succeed with her guidance and said she is excited for what the future holds at Ohio.
