Carrie Eighmey
| Current position | |
|---|---|
| Title | Head coach |
| Team | South Dakota |
| Conference | Summit League |
| Record | 11–19 (.367) |
| Playing career | |
| 2000–2004 | Hastings |
| Position | Point guard |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| 2004–2008 | Hastings (assistant) |
| 2008–2012 | Fort Hays State (assistant) |
| 2012–2015 | Hastings |
| 2015–2023 | Nebraska–Kearney |
| 2023–2024 | Idaho |
| 2024–present | South Dakota |
| Head coaching record | |
| Overall | 258–139 (.650) |
| Accomplishments and honors | |
| Championships | |
Carrie Eighmey (née Hofstetter) is an American basketball coach and former player who is the current head coach of the South Dakota Coyotes women's basketball team.[1] She was also previously the head coach at the University of Idaho, The University of Nebraska-Kearney, and her alma mater, Hastings College
Early Life and Education
Eighmey grew up in Edgar, Nebraska and went to Sandy Creek High School. While at Sandy Creek, Eighmey was part of a Cougar program that had a 95-game winning streak from 1997 to 2000, and won four straight NSAA C-1 girls basketball titles.[2] She was recruited to play at Hastings College, winning the 2002 and 2003 NAIA National Championships with Hastings College under Tony Hobson.
Coaching career
Hastings College & Fort Hays State (assistant)
After she graduated from Hastings College in 2004,[3] Eighmey would serve as an assistant coach with Hobson, winning a third NAIA Championship in 2006. When Hobson took over at NCAA Division II school Fort Hays State University in 2008, Eighmey followed and was an assistant coach for four seasons.
Hastings College (Head Coach)
Eighmey would return to her alma mater when Hastings College named Eighmey as their head coach on June 18, 2012.[4] During her three seasons with the Broncos she had two NAIA Tournament appearances and won the 2013-14 Great Plains Athletic Conference regular season title.
Nebraska-Kearney
Eighmey was named the seventh head coach of the University of Nebraska at Kearney program on March 30, 2015.[5] During her eight years at UNK, the Lopers won the MIAA Conference Tournament in the 2020–21 season,[6] and won the MIAA Regular Season Championship in the 2022–23 season. The Lopers also had three tournament appearances during her tenure.
Individual Accolades
Eighmey won the 2020-21 NCAA Division II Coach of the Year honor from the online publication World Exposure Report,[7] and was a finalist for the WBCA Division II Coach of the Year honor in the 2022–23 season, which ultimately went to Kari Pickens of Ashland.[8]
Idaho
After eight seasons at UNK, Eighmey left the Lopers for her first Division I job with the Idaho Vandals. After one season where the Vandals season ended in the Big Sky Quarterfinals, Eighmey resigned to become the next head coach at South Dakota. Idaho's administration was criticized[9] after Eighmey did not have to pay any buyout to Idaho, because she did not sign the contract.[10] Arthur Moreira, who Eighmey hired as her associate head coach, was elevated to the head coaching position after her departure.
South Dakota
On April 30, 2024, Eighmey was hired as head women's basketball coach at the University of South Dakota.[11] After her first season, where the Coyotes finished eight games below .500, Eighmey and her staff had a 12-game turnaround and finished in the Summit League tournament semifinals.
Head coaching record
| Season | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | Postseason | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hastings Broncos (Great Plains Athletic Conference) (2012–2015) | |||||||||
| 2012–13 | Hastings | 15–16 | 10–10 | T–6th | |||||
| 2013–14 | Hastings | 28–6 | 16–4 | T–1st | NAIA Division II Quarterfinals | ||||
| 2014–15 | Hastings | 25–9 | 15–5 | 3rd | NAIA Division II Semifinals | ||||
| Hastings: | 68–31 (.687) | 41–9 (.820) | |||||||
| Nebraska–Kearney Lopers (Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association) (2015–2023) | |||||||||
| 2015–16 | Nebraska–Kearney | 16–14 | 11–11 | T–6th | |||||
| 2016–17 | Nebraska–Kearney | 12–16 | 8–11 | 8th | |||||
| 2017–18 | Nebraska–Kearney | 21–7 | 13–6 | T–4th | |||||
| 2018–19 | Nebraska–Kearney | 15–14 | 8–11 | T–8th | |||||
| 2019–20 | Nebraska–Kearney | 26–6 | 14–5 | 3rd | |||||
| 2020–21 | Nebraska–Kearney | 22–3 | 19–3 | T–2nd | NCAA Division II Sweet Sixteen | ||||
| 2021–22 | Nebraska–Kearney | 24–8 | 13–5 | 3rd | NCAA Division II Second Round | ||||
| 2022–23 | Nebraska–Kearney | 28–5 | 20–2 | 1st | NCAA Division II First Round | ||||
| Nebraska–Kearney: | 164–73 (.692) | 106–54 (.663) | |||||||
| Idaho Vandals (Big Sky) (2023–2024) | |||||||||
| 2023–24 | Idaho | 15–16 | 8–10 | 6th | |||||
| Idaho: | 15–16 (.484) | 8–10 (.444) | |||||||
| South Dakota Coyotes (Summit League) (2024–present) | |||||||||
| 2024–25 | South Dakota | 11–19 | 5–11 | T–7th | |||||
| 2025–26 | South Dakota | 23-9 | 12-4 | 3rd | |||||
| South Dakota: | 34–28 (.548) | 17–15 (.531) | |||||||
| Total: | 281–148 (.655) | ||||||||
|
National champion
Postseason invitational champion
| |||||||||
Sources:[1]
References
- ^ a b "Carrie Eighmey - Women's Basketball Coach". University of South Dakota Athletics. Retrieved September 30, 2024.
- ^ "Carrie Eighmey Steps Down as Head Coach of UNK Women's Basketball". University of Nebraska - Kearney Athletics. Retrieved March 12, 2026.
- ^ "Carrie Eighmey - Women's Basketball Coach". University of South Dakota Athletics. Retrieved March 12, 2026.
- ^ "Hofstetter '04 returns to HC as Head Coach for Women's Basketball". www.hastingsbroncos.com. Hastings College Athletics. June 18, 2012.
- ^ "Carrie Hofstetter Named 7th Women's Basketball Coach". University of Nebraska - Kearney Athletics. March 30, 2015. Retrieved March 12, 2026.
- ^ "'Dream Come True': Lopers Win First MIAA Title, Qualify for National Tournament". University of Nebraska - Kearney Athletics. Retrieved March 12, 2026.
- ^ "Eighmey Picks Up National Coach of the Year Award". University of Nebraska - Kearney Athletics. Retrieved March 12, 2026.
- ^ "Eighmey Tabbed by the WBCA". University of Nebraska - Kearney Athletics. Retrieved March 12, 2026.
- ^ "COMMENTARY: Mishandling of Carrie Eighmey's contract is another lowlig..." The Lewiston Tribune. Retrieved March 12, 2026.
- ^ Staff, SWX Sports (April 30, 2024). "New details emerge about Carrie Eighmey leaving Idaho after one season without having to pay any buyout". Nonstop Local SWX Sports. Retrieved March 12, 2026.
- ^ "USD hires Idaho's Carrie Eighmey as new women's hoops coach". sodakpb. April 30, 2024. Retrieved September 30, 2024.