Kearney, Neb. - University of Nebraska at Kearney head women's basketball coach Carrie Eighmey announced today that she's leaving the program to join the University of Idaho. 

Eighmey has led the Lopers since the 2015-16 season, compiling a 165-74 record during that time. UNK has won at least 23 games each of the past four seasons, reached the NCAA Tournament three consecutive years and won two MIAA titles (2023 regular season and 2021 tournament). She was the 2023 MIAA Coach of the Year and the 2021 Division II World Exposure National Coach of the Year.

Located in Moscow, UI competes in the Big Sky Conference and is coming off a 13-17 (9-9) season. Idaho parted with ways with head coach Jon Newlee on April 6. A press conference introducing Eighmey will be announced at a later date, but she will be in attendance at tonight's (April 28) Vandal Football spring game. 

"This is a hard day for Loper women's basketball because Coach Eighmey means so much to us," said UNK Director of Athletics Marc Bauer. "Carrie helped elevate our program and built it into a national contender. She grew fan interest and community support and positively impacted Loper women's basketball and our student-athletes in countless ways."

Eighmey met with her players this morning via Zoom to share her decision. UNK will begin an immediate national search for her replacement.

"We will move quickly in hiring a new coach, and I am confident we will find an accomplished coach who will continue our Loper women's basketball tradition of success," said Bauer.
 
A native of Edgar, Eighmey has a career record of 233-105 as she led her alma mater of Hastings College for three seasons before coming to Kearney. Her career began as an assistant at Hastings before moving on to be an assistant at MIAA-member Fort Hays State.
 
Eighmey helped orchestrate a turnaround at UNK as the Lopers had won 59 games in the six seasons prior to her arrival. This year's squad went 28-5, tying the school-record for wins, went 15-0 at the Health & Sports Center and a had a 15-game win streak.

As a collegiate player, Eighmey was one of the Broncos all-time greats, powering Hastings to four national tournament appearances and 2002 and 2003 national titles. At Sandy Creek High School, she was a part of a 95-game winning streak and four Class C-1 state titles.