Purdue Boilermakers head coach Katie Gearlds yells down the court. Alex Martin/Journal and Courier / USA TODAY NETWORK

Purdue Women's Basketball Announces New Staff Hire

Originally posted on Purdue Boilermakers on SI
By Dustin Schutte | Last updated Apr 6, 2026 11:00 AM ET

The Purdue women's basketball program has made some changes to its staff for the upcoming 2026-27 season. On Monday, the Boilermakers announced the hiring of Emily Ben-Jumbo as an assistant coach and will also lead the program's recruiting strategy.

Ben-Jumbo comes to Purdue after spending the 2025-26 season at Xavier. She was also an assistant coach at San Jose State for three seasons (2021-2024) and was promoted to associate head coach for the 2024-25 campaign. She also spent time at Loyola Marymount, her alma mater, working as the director of basketball operations for the 2018-19 season and as an assistant coach from 2019 through 2021.

“We’re pumped to welcome Emily to our Boilermaker family,” head coach Katie Gearlds said in a statement. “Emily has a high motor and a passion for developing student-athletes on and off the court. Her energy and ability to connect with our players will help make us better every day.”

Ben-Jumbo will be responsible for identifying talent at both the high school level and out of the NCAA transfer portal.

Prior to her coaching career, Ben-Jumbo was an All-West Coast Conference talent while playing at Loyola Marymount. She earned all-conference honors after averaging 11.4 points and 5.7 rebounds per game as a senior. She was also a three-time team captain.

Mark Stephens no longer listed on team website

Grace Smith/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

There has been no announcement from Purdue, but assistant coach and recruiting coordinator Mark Stephens is no longer listed on the Purdue women's basketball roster or coaching pages.

Ben-Jumbo appears to be taking over the responsibilities Stephens had while at Purdue.

Stephens joined Gearlds' staff ahead of the 2023-24 season, working as an assistant coach and handling recruiting operations. He arrived in West Lafayette after spending three years at Xavier and four as an assistant coach at Toledo.

Purdue is coming off a 13-17 season, earning the No. 14 seed in the Big Ten Tournament. Since the conclusion of the year, six players have entered their names into the NCAA transfer portal: Lana McCarthy, Kendall Puryear, Taylor Feldman, Nya Smith, Tara Daye and Kiki Smith.

The players still currently on Purdue's roster include: Hila Karsh, Saige Stahl, Taylor Henderson, Avery Gordon, Maya Zilbershlag and Keona Douwstra.

This article first appeared on Purdue Boilermakers on SI and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: