Kyla Irwin was named Vanderbilt women’s basketball’s Director of Player Development & Community Relations by head coach Shea Ralph on May 4, 2021, and the 2024-25 season is her fourth season on staff with the program.

A four-year athlete at Connecticut from 2016-20, Irwin comes to Vanderbilt after a professional career overseas playing for SNP Bascats USC Heidelberg in Germany for one season.

A consistent presence on the floor throughout her career with the Huskies, Irwin played in 120 games and made 20 starts. In her four years she shot 47.8 percent from the floor, served as a team captain as a senior and helped UConn reach the Final Four in all three NCAA Tournaments the team played in.

While suffering a season-ending injury in 2020, Irwin missed just one game down the stretch due to the COVID-19 pandemic canceling the 2020 NCAA Tournament.

Coming to Vanderbilt, Irwin brings extensive experience with Team IMPACT which is a national nonprofit that connects children ages 5 to 16 facing serious and chronic illnesses with college athletic teams. In her final two years with the Huskies, Irwin developed a close relationship with Daniela Ciriello who was a staple at UConn home games.

Coach Ralph on Irwin: “Kyla is the type of person who impacts you the moment you meet her. Her energizing presence and her knowledge of what is needed to compete and win at the highest level is exactly what our program needs. We are very lucky to have her working with our student-athletes every day.”