RJ Bell enters his third season as an assistant coach and fifth season on staff during the 2025-26 season for the Duquesne women's basketball team.
After a two-year stint as a graduate student, Bell was promoted to assistant coach ahead of the 2023-24 season.Â
Over the past two seasons, Bell has contributed on the offensive side of the ball, working closely with the offensive coordinator. During the 2024–25 campaign, the Dukes ranked second in NCAA Division I in three-point attempts and fifth nationally in three-pointers made per game. Bell played a key role in an offense that delivered a record-breaking performance that season.
The Dukes connected on a program-record 341 three-pointers and scored a single-season high of 2,446 points during the 2024–25 campaign. They averaged 71.9 points per game and made 863 field goals—both figures ranking second in program history. Despite their fast-paced, high-volume style of play, the Dukes maintained efficiency, finishing the season with a .410 field goal percentage—the ninth-highest in program history.
In addition to organizing and managing film breakdown, Bell brings valuable domestic and international recruiting experience. He has also taken on an expanded role in player development, leading on-court workouts that reflect Duquesne’s offensive philosophy. Bell has been instrumental in the development of Mackenzie Blackford and Andjela Matic, who ranked second and third on the team in three-pointers made, respectively. As a freshman, Blackford led the team with a 38.7 percent shooting mark from beyond the arc, while Matic connected on 45 triples at a 34.1 percent clip.
Bell, who is the son of assistant coach
Rick Bell, joined the staff after wrapping up his collegiate playing career at Geneva College. He played in all 65 games over his final three seasons with the Golden Tornadoes and helped lead the team to an appearance in the 2020 Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) Championship Game.
