Ipek Turkyilmaz

Ipek Turkyilmaz, who spent 2017-18 as the head coach at Trinidad High School in Trinidad, Colo., and has seven prior years of collegiate coaching experience, joined UTRGV women's basketball as an assistant coach on June 5, 2018.
 
Turkyilmaz, who enters her fifth season with the program, works primarily with the guards. 
 
In 2022-23, Turkyilmaz saw guard Iyana Dorsey earn All-WAC Second Team Honors after leading the WAC with three games of 30 or more points scored. Turkyilmaz also saw Dorsey set the program record for free throws made in a season with 147.
 
Turkilymaz saw the Vaqueros finish with 217 three-pointers made, which ranks fifth in program history.

In 2021-22, Turkyilmaz guided the development of guard KaCee Kyle, who tied a single-game program record with 15 assists against Abilene Christian. Turkyilmaz also played a huge role in the Vaqueros’ three-point shooting as the Vaqueros set a program record for most three-pointers made in a season with 245, which ranked fourth in the WAC. 

In 2020-21, Turkyilmaz helped UTRGV rank second in the WAC in three-pointers made per game (6.9) while also helping maintain their excellence in the classroom with a team GPA of 3.38 and 13 AD Honor Roll Recipients.

Turkyilmaz guided guards Amara Graham and Sara Bershers to All-WAC Honors as Graham finished the WAC's leading scorer with 16.5 points per game while Bershers finished her sophomore campaign with 13.9 points per game.

In 2019-20, helped UTRGV rank third in the WAC in scoring offense, third in assists per game (14.1), second in steals per game (8.7), and third in three-point field goals made per game (7.0).
 
In 2018-19, helped the Vaqueros reach the WAC Tournament Championship Game while helping UTRGV lead the WAC in scoring defense (61.2 ppg).

Turkyilmaz coached collegiately at Western Nebraska Community College (WNCC) from 2010-13 and 2014-17, and at Metro State in 2013-14. She also served as a student assistant at Arizona in 2009-10 after playing with the team as a junior in 2008-09.
 
Turkyilmaz played for current UTRGV head coach Lane Lord during her first of two seasons at Barton Community College (BCC) in 2006-07.
 
While at WNCC, Turkyilmaz was responsible for preseason and postseason training, guard play, and special situations. She also recruited six international players for the 2015-16 roster.
 
Turkyilmaz started every game during her two years at BCC, leading her team to a regional championship and a fourth place finish at nationals as a sophomore. She holds several program records, including three-point field goals made, with 90 in a season and eight in a game and was inducted into the 2020 BCC Hall of Fame. Turkyilmaz shot 40.4 percent from the outside during her two seasons. She also earned First Team All-West Region honors in 2007-08 and honorable mention in 2006-07.
 
Originally from Izmir, Turkey, Turkyilmaz played for the Turkish National Team from 2002-03.
 
Turkyilmaz earned her Associate of Arts from BCC in 2008, Bachelor of Fine Arts in Studio Art from Arizona in 2010, and Master of Science in Organizational Management with a focus in Sports Management from Chadron State in 2013.