Hokie ClubDarren Guensch (GENCH) joined the Virginia Tech women’s basketball staff as an assistant coach in June of 2025.
With the Hokies, Guensch will play a key role in recruiting, player development, scouting and game planning.
“We couldn’t be more excited to welcome Darren and his family back to the New River Valley! He has been a winner in each of his coaching stops,” Duffy said of Guensch. “His experience in recruiting, player development and game planning will impact our coaching staff and student-athletes immediately. Darren understands what it takes to build winning programs, and we look forward to him joining Hokie Nation.”
A 20-year veteran on the sidelines of D1 women’s basketball programs, Guensch brings decades of experience and ties to the Commonwealth. Raised in Leesburg, Guensch owns degrees from two different institutions in the state (Radford and George Mason) and has also spent time coaching at Mason, VCU and Richmond.
Guensch most recently served as the associate head coach at Missouri State for three seasons, where he helped the Lady Bears compile a 69-31 record and capture the 2025 Missouri Valley regular-season title. In each of his three seasons in Springfield, the Lady Bears reached the postseason, including two WBIT appearances and a trip to the WNIT in 2023. While training the point guards, Guensch guided three athletes to All-MVC selections and a Defensive Player of the Year accolade.
“I am extremely grateful to Coach Duffy for this opportunity to join her staff and the Virginia Tech family,” Guensch said. “The program has such a contagious energy and work ethic in and around it while competing for championships in the elite ACC and beyond. I’m excited to join this group for the journey that lies ahead. My family and I are thrilled to return to our home state and be a part of Hokie Nation!”
Prior to his time at Missouri State, Guensch spent three years as an assistant coach at the University of Richmond. During his time with the Spiders, he worked closely with the post players and developed two All-Atlantic 10 selections, as well as the A-10 Rookie of the Year and Sixth Woman of the Year.
Before his tenure at Richmond,Guench spent the 2018-19 season as an assistant coach at Bucknell where he helped the Bison earn a school record 28 wins, the Patriot League regular season and tournament titles, and a trip to the NCAA Tournament. He coached three all-conference and all-tournament team players, as the Bison went 15-1 at home and broke the school record for three-pointers made with 283.
From 2016-2018, Guensch served as an assistant coach/recruiting coordinator at East Carolina, where he helped the Pirates to an impressive five-win improvement in league play from the 2016-17 season to the 2017-18 season. The turnaround was led by Guensch’s 2017 recruiting class, which accounted for 67% of the team’s points and 54% of its rebounds.
Prior to his time at East Carolina, Guensch spent six seasons as an assistant coach at three different Division I schools: College of Charleston (2014-16), UNCG (2012-14), and VCU (2010-12). He also held the title of recruiting coordinator at both College of Charleston and UNCG.
Guensch began his collegiate coaching career at VCU where he spent the first two seasons as the director of basketball operations before being promoted to assistant coach. The Rams went 86-47 during his four seasons with the program and qualified for four national postseason tournaments. They made their first ever NCAA Tournament in 2009 and followed that with three straight appearances in the WNIT. While at VCU, Guensch also coached the perimeter players and oversaw the largest team camp in the state of Virginia.
Guensch served as the director of basketball operations for two seasons at George Mason from 2006-08.
He spent one season as an assistant coach at Loudoun County High School in northern Virginia in 2005.
A Leesburg, Virginia native, Guensch graduated from Radford in 2005 with a bachelor's degree in Exercise, Sport and Health Education before earning a master's degree in the same discipline at George Mason in 2012.
He and his wife Devon, were wed in 2007 and the couple welcomed their first child, Miles, in 2011 and their second, Layna, in 2016.