Marquette University Athletics
Women’s Basketball Adds Joe Silvestri to Coaching Staff
4/23/2026 11:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
MILWAUKEE – Marquette University women's basketball head coach Cara Consuegra announced the hiring of Joe Silvestri as an assistant coach, adding a proven program builder with extensive Division I experience to the Golden Eagles staff. Silvestri arrives at Marquette after rejoining the East Tennessee State University women's basketball staff for the 2025–26 season, where he served as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator.
"Joe brings an elite level of energy and high basketball IQ to our program," Consuegra said. "He has been part of historic turnarounds and championship-level success, and his ability to connect with student-athletes makes him a great fit for our culture at Marquette."
During his most recent stint at ETSU, Silvestri helped guide the Buccaneers to an 18–13 overall record and a 10–4 mark in the Southern Conference, securing a share of the 2025–26 SoCon regular-season championship, the program's first since 1994–95. ETSU also went undefeated on the road in conference play (7–0) for the first time in program history. Silvestri played a key role in player development, assisting with the development of four All-Conference selections, the SoCon Defensive Player of the Year and three All-Tournament Second Team honorees.
Before returning to ETSU, Silvestri spent the 2024–25 season at Tulane, where the Green Wave posted a 17–13 record, earned a marquee win over Florida, and advanced to the AAC semifinals.
Silvestri initially joined ETSU in 2021 and was instrumental in the seventh-largest single-season turnaround in NCAA Division I women's basketball history. The Buccaneers improved from 6–22 in 2021–22 to 25–10 in 2022–23, a 19-win. That season included program records for wins (25), nonconference victories (13), winning the program's first postseason game since 1995 with two wins in the Women's Basketball Invitational, and a return to national mid-major rankings, a first for the program since 2010.
Silvestri was also on staff when ETSU set school records for made 3-pointers in a single season (228), largest margin of victory (69), fewest points allowed in a game (26), as well as the single-game 3-pointers made record in a win over SoCon regular season champion Wofford (16).
Silvestri's resume also includes assistant coaching stops at North Florida and Florida International, where he helped contribute to sustained improvement with both programs, as well as four years at UCF, where he began his coaching career after serving as a student manager.
In 2016, Silvestri was named to the WBCA 30 Under 30 Team, honoring the top up-and-coming coaches in women's basketball.
Silvestri earned his bachelor's degree in sport and exercise science from UCF.
"Joe brings an elite level of energy and high basketball IQ to our program," Consuegra said. "He has been part of historic turnarounds and championship-level success, and his ability to connect with student-athletes makes him a great fit for our culture at Marquette."
During his most recent stint at ETSU, Silvestri helped guide the Buccaneers to an 18–13 overall record and a 10–4 mark in the Southern Conference, securing a share of the 2025–26 SoCon regular-season championship, the program's first since 1994–95. ETSU also went undefeated on the road in conference play (7–0) for the first time in program history. Silvestri played a key role in player development, assisting with the development of four All-Conference selections, the SoCon Defensive Player of the Year and three All-Tournament Second Team honorees.
Before returning to ETSU, Silvestri spent the 2024–25 season at Tulane, where the Green Wave posted a 17–13 record, earned a marquee win over Florida, and advanced to the AAC semifinals.
Silvestri initially joined ETSU in 2021 and was instrumental in the seventh-largest single-season turnaround in NCAA Division I women's basketball history. The Buccaneers improved from 6–22 in 2021–22 to 25–10 in 2022–23, a 19-win. That season included program records for wins (25), nonconference victories (13), winning the program's first postseason game since 1995 with two wins in the Women's Basketball Invitational, and a return to national mid-major rankings, a first for the program since 2010.
Silvestri was also on staff when ETSU set school records for made 3-pointers in a single season (228), largest margin of victory (69), fewest points allowed in a game (26), as well as the single-game 3-pointers made record in a win over SoCon regular season champion Wofford (16).
Silvestri's resume also includes assistant coaching stops at North Florida and Florida International, where he helped contribute to sustained improvement with both programs, as well as four years at UCF, where he began his coaching career after serving as a student manager.
In 2016, Silvestri was named to the WBCA 30 Under 30 Team, honoring the top up-and-coming coaches in women's basketball.
Silvestri earned his bachelor's degree in sport and exercise science from UCF.
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