Kelly Guarino was named an assistant coach for the Fordham University women's basketball team in Bronx, New York, in May 2026. She joined Fordham after serving at NJIT, her alma mater, as assistant coach/director of player development from 2024 to 2026. During her time there, NJIT earned the program's first WNIT berth in 2026 and recorded its first postseason win with a first-round victory over Merrimack. The Highlanders finished with 19 wins, their highest total at the Division I level, along with program highs in conference and non-conference victories and their best NET ranking in more than 15 years. Guarino also worked with all-conference guards including Alejandra Zuniga, NJIT's all-time leading scorer, and Olivia Kulyk, the 2025 Rookie of the Year and a two-time all-conference selection.
Guarino began her college coaching career at Wagner, where she oversaw guard player development before returning to NJIT. She also was owner and director of Empire State Basketball Club, where she helped place more than 25 high school players with NCAA programs, coached 10 teams and more than 80 players, and managed scheduling, travel, and social media. From 2022 to 2024, the Thiells, New York, native was head coach at Pleasantville High School while also working as a special education teacher.
