When Kristen Gillespie became head coach of Redbird women’s basketball in 2017, she knew it was critically important for junior guard Katrina “Tri” Beck ’19, M.S. ’21, to embrace the new coaching staff’s philosophies and goals.
Appears In“Tri (pronounced “tree”) was the key piece,” Gillespie said. “We had to get her to buy-in or we were going to be a hopeless cause. And she did—thank goodness.”
Beck, who played on teams that averaged eight wins during her first two years, led the Redbirds to 14 wins in Gillespie’s inaugural season and 19 wins as a senior captain in 2018–2019. Beck was instrumental in building a strong foundation for sustained program growth, highlighted by Gillespie leading Illinois State to the 2022 Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) Tournament title and an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
“We’re not where we are now as a program without Tri,” Gillespie said. “Tri was a leader on the floor, and she was an extension of our staff in the locker room.”
Three years after playing her final game at Redbird Arena, Beck has returned to Normal, this time as one of Gillespie’s new assistant coaches for the 2022–2023 season. Although she won’t be dishing out assists or draining 3-pointers on the court, Beck is determined to help the Redbirds continue their upward trajectory from the sideline.
“It’s surreal and definitely a special feeling to have this opportunity,” Beck said. “There’s such a rich tradition here, and I had such a great experience as a student-athlete. It feels like an honor to be back and to be able to share my experience and impact the players that we have on our team now.”
As a student-athlete, Beck studied broadcast journalism and planned to become a television reporter or anchor. With Gillespie’s encouragement, Beck missed summer workouts ahead of her senior season to intern at NBC 5 in Chicago. Beck realized, however, that she felt a stronger passion for coaching.
“It was Scott Gillespie who made me want to get into coaching,” said Beck, referencing the Redbirds’ associate head coach who is Kristen Gillespie’s cousin. “As an assistant coach, your job is to be there for your players every day. And that was what Scott did for me as the guards coach. The relationship that we built was something that I wanted to emulate. I wanted to be that coach for girls who look like me and for young women in general.”
After earning a bachelor’s degree in communication, Beck pursued a master’s in sport management at Illinois State while serving for two seasons as a graduate assistant coach for the Illinois Wesleyan University women’s basketball team, an NCAA Division III program in Bloomington.
Last season, Beck was a full-time assistant women’s basketball coach at Division II Lindenwood University in St. Charles, Missouri. She was responsible for planning and executing player development for the team’s guards along with scouting opponents, recruiting, and other duties.
Beck followed Illinois State’s season from afar and was ecstatic when the Redbirds earned their first bid to the NCAA Tournament in 14 years by upsetting Northern Iowa for the MVC Conference Tournament title. As a player, she had hosted several of the team’s players during their recruiting visits to campus. Beck sent a congratulatory group text to the entire coaching staff.
“It’s amazing what they’ve done in these past five years and how far they’ve come,” Beck said. “I had to tell them that I was watching, and I was so happy for them.”
“She went through the same things that they’re going through. I think when our young women look across the huddle and see her, there’s instant respect, which is huge.”
— Katrina Beck
When assistant coach Mariyah Brawner-Henley left at the end of the season to pursue opportunities outside of basketball, Gillespie immediately thought of Beck.
“In the basketball recruiting world, there’s a term called a ‘no-brainer’ when you watch a player and know that you have to have them in your program,” Gillespie said. “That’s what hiring Tri as an assistant coach was for us.”
Beck jumped at the opportunity to coach at her alma mater while continuing to be mentored by her former coach turned colleague.
“Kristen knows the game, but it’s really the intangibles that make her such a great coach, like her ability to build relationships and everything she does is just so loving and grateful and understanding,” Beck said. “I would have run through a wall for her as a player.”
As the Redbirds prepare to build upon last year’s championship season, Gillespie said she is relying on Beck to provide a consistent voice of reason, similar to her leadership as a player.
“She’ll be able to pull players aside during a tough practice and say, ‘Hey, there is a method to all this. Stay the course,’” Gillespie said. “She went through the same things that they’re going through. I think when our young women look across the huddle and see her, there’s instant respect, which is huge.”
Gillespie said she also expects Beck’s extensive basketball knowledge will help inform team strategy.
“As a player, Tri excelled with scouting reports,” Gillespie said. “She knew some of our opponents’ plays better than our staff—better than some of our opponents’ players. She is extremely cerebral. She takes pride in what she does, and Tri always took a keen interest in understanding the game.”
Still early in her career, Beck said she is prepared to “learn and grow” under Gillespie’s mentorship and is eager for the season ahead.
“I’m really excited to become a better coach,” Beck said. “As for my team goals, obviously, I want to go win another Valley title. I want to be a part of a conference championship as a coach because I didn’t get to experience it as a player.
“I want to get to the NCAA Tournament, and I want to go further.”
