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Mauri Horton Named Girls' Basketball Coach

Former Rutgers women’s basketball player and International professional player Mauri Horton has been named as the Ranney School girls’ basketball head coach, announced Ranney Athletic Director Natalie Cocchi Gorman.

“Mauri is incredibly passionate about women’s basketball and mentoring young people through coaching and teaching,” said Gorman. “She has an enthusiasm and energy that is magnetic and I know she will have a positive impact on our girls basketball program and our school community overall.  She is committed to building our girls basketball program and we are honored to have her join our Ranney staff both as a head coach and full time faculty member.” 

Horton was the Minnesota Gatorade Player of the Year in 1999 and a Second Team Parade All American while playing at Minneapolis North High School. She is ranked ninth in the state of Minnesota on the all-time women's basketball players list, among WNBA basketball legends such as Lindsay Whalen, Tamera Moore, and Paige Bueckers. Horton also represented Team USA on the U17 Junior Olympics Team in 1998 in Moscow. 

Horton is a 2003 graduate of Rutgers University and played on the first Rutgers women’s basketball team to reach the NCAA Women’s Basketball Final Four in 2000 under Hall of Fame Head Coach C. Vivian Stringer.  She played four years at guard for the Scarlet Knights and was selected All Big East in 2002 and 2003.  After graduation, Horton played professional basketball for four seasons overseas with various professional clubs in Israel, Turkey, Sweden, and Switzerland.

After her playing career ended, Horton found success as a coach and a teacher. She was the varsity girls’ basketball head coach at Plainfield High School from 2006-2012, head girls’ basketball coach at the North Star Academy College Prep HS in Newark, and most recently, joined the Jersey Gemz as head coach of the girls’ Nike EYBL Summer League Circuit. Her team finished 3-3 at the Nike National Championships in Chicago, IL earlier this month.

For the past 10 years, she has been a physical education teacher and Dean of Students at the KIPP charter school in Newark, as well as coaching the middle school boys and girls basketball programs.

“Mauri Horton is a leader who not only understands the game, but understands people,” said Tasha Pointer, former WNBA Player and former  women’s basketball assistant coach at Rutgers University. “Her ability to build culture, inspire accountability, and bring out the best in every player is what sets her apart. Coach Horton leads with purpose, inspires with authenticity, and holds herself to the highest coaching standard. The Ranney girls’ basketball program is in excellent hands under her leadership.” 

Horton will join the Ranney School Physical Education Department, where she will be teaching in the Lower and Middle School.

“I am truly honored to be a part of the Ranney School Community,” said Horton. “I am ready to make the most of this opportunity and am excited to get started!” 
Horton takes over for Katelyn Linney, who was the head coach for the girls’ basketball program from 2018-2025.  Linney led the Panthers to an overall record of 72-73 and helped the Panthers accomplish many firsts in her tenure, including the program’s first Shore Conference divisional title, first Shore Conference Divisional Player of the Year,  first Shore Conference tournament quarterfinal appearance, first time advancing to the NJSIAA Non Public B South semifinals, and first Division I Women’s Basketball player, Haley Poser.

“I would like to extend our sincere gratitude to Katelyn Linney for her commitment to building Ranney girls’ basketball into a successful program over seven seasons as our head coach,” said Gorman. “From where we started in 2018, to a perfect Shore Conference “A” North divisional record in her last season in 2025, the growth of the program has been incredible.  She built our team to consistently compete in the highly talented Shore Conference and across the state.  We are proud of the way she represented our school and athletic department and we know she made an incredible impact in the lives of so many of our student athletes.” 

Horton will look to build off of the momentum Ranney has gained by continuing to send women’s basketball players to compete at the next level. Sarah Hughes ‘23, Lola MacRae ‘25, Claire Doherty ‘25, Michelle Steele ‘25, and Haley Poser ‘25 were all integral pieces to the success of the girls basketball team over Linney’s career and are playing at the next level. Hughes is a starter at Bates College competing in the NESCAC conference, MacRae will join the Ursinus College Women’s Basketball Program, Doherty is joining the women’s basketball team at Trinity College in Ireland, Steele is set to join the Rams at Thomas Jefferson University, and Poser signed to play at Lafayette College competing in the Patriot League.
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Ranney School

235 Hope Road
Tinton Falls, NJ 07724
Tel. 732.542.4777
Our mission is to know and value every child, nurturing intellectual curiosity and confidence, and inspiring students to lead honorably, think creatively, and contribute meaningfully to society.