Kilbride and Maguire join Garlepp on Ireland WNT staff

Karl Kilbride and Suzanne Maguire have been appointed as assistant coaches on Thomas Garlepp’s Ireland WNT backroom team ahead of the upcoming FIBA Women’s EuroBasket 2029 Pre-Qualifying campaign, which begins against Iceland at the National Basketball Arena on Wednesday, November 11^th.

Kilbride is a two-time Paudie O’Connor National Cup winning coach, who has overseen Ireland’s most successful U20 WNT programme in recent years, while Maguire is a former Irish senior international who has enjoyed a two-decade coaching career across a number of levels of Irish basketball.

“It’s fantastic to bring two assistants on board with a wealth of experience and deep-rooted knowledge of Irish basketball,” said Garlepp. “Both Karl and Suzanne have led very successful programmes at club and international level, showcasing a strong track record for player development.”

“I’m delighted they’ve agreed to come on board and now our full focus can turn towards a huge home FIBA EuroBasket Qualifier against Iceland in just eight weeks’ time,” added Garlepp.

Kilbride is entering his sixth season as Ireland U20 WNT head coach, during which time he has led Ireland to four consecutive FIBA Youth EuroBasket quarter-final appearances from 2023 to 2026. He was also the man at the helm for Ireland’s sole appearance in the FIBA U20 Women’s Youth EuroBasket ‘A’ Division in 2022.  

The former Killester and Liffey Celtics head coach has won two Paudie O’Connor National Cups, one with each club, in 2020 and 2025. Kilbride also led Liffey Celtics to an unprecedented playoff against old club Killester for the Domino’s Women’s Super League crown in 2024 and a second-place finish one year later, before stepping away that off-season.

Earlier this year he was appointed Ireland 3x3 U21 Women’s head coach, guiding the team to two finals and three semi-finals in six events, while earlier in his coaching career, Kilbride served as head coach of both the U16 and U17 WNT programmes between 2016 and 2020.

Suzanne Maguire is a former Irish international in both 5v5 and 3x3, who is currently an assistant coach with FloMAX Liffey Celtics in the Domino’s Women’s Super League. Maguire represented Ireland in three FIBA Women’s EuroBasket qualifying campaigns between 1997 and 2007 and was also part of the Irish women’s 3x3 squad who competed in the FIBA 3x3 European Games in Baku in 2015.

Her 20-year coaching career includes stints as head coach with Tolka Rovers in Domino’s Women’s Division One during the 2024/25 season, as well as a very successful period with Liffey Celtics between 2022 and 2024, where her side won eight of ten competitions, including successive National Intermediate League and Cup Competitions. 

At international level Maguire has worked as an assistant coach on the Ireland U17 and U18 WNT between 2016 and 2018, also taking on the role of head coach for the 3x3 U18 WNT squad in 2016 at FIBA European Championship qualifiers in Hungary.

Ireland begin their FIBA Women’s EuroBasket 2029 Pre-Qualifying campaign at home to Iceland on Wednesday November 11^th, tickets on sale here, before away trips to Azerbaijan and Switzerland on Saturday, November 14^th and Tuesday, November 17^th.