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University of Nebraska - Kearney Athletics

Carrie Eighmey

Carrie Eighmey


Alma Mater:             Hastings College (NE)
Graduating Year:     2004
Experience:             11 years overall, eight at UNK

Coaching Career
Nebraska-Kearney, Head Coach (2016-present)
Hastings College, Head Coach (2012-15)
Fort Hays State University, Head Assistant Coach (2008-12)
Hastings College, Head Assistant Coach (2004-08)


Carrie (Hofstetter) Eighmey was named the seventh head women’s basketball coach in Nebraska-Kearney history on March 31, 2015.

She is a native of Edgar, Neb., and graduate of Sandy Creek High School and Hastings College. Whether as a player, assistant coach or head coach, Eighmey has been a part of not only winning programs but ones that contended for championships annually. She has won three national titles (two as as a player and one as an assistant coach). 

In 11 years as a head coach, seven of her teams have reached 20 wins with five advancing to the national tournament. Through the 2022-23 season she has a .689 career win percentage (233-105). Carrie Eighmey

In her first year at the helm of the Lopers, she took a team that was picked 10th in the MIAA preseason poll and led it to a 16-14 mark. This was UNK’s first winning season since 2009 and the Lopers also advanced to the MIAA Tournament quarterfinals for the first time. Guard Laramey Becker reached 1k in points and also made the elite WBCA/All-State Good Works team for basketball, academic & community service work.  

In 2016-17 UNK overcame the loss of Becker, another senior and the season-ending injuries of two sophomores to place eighth. UNK won eight of its final 12 games to host an MIAA Tourney contest. Guard Michaela Barry (1,451) and fellow senior McKenzie Brown (1,350) reached the 1k milestone during the 2017-18 year. Brown set a new UNK record for career threes (249) while Barry was tabbed first-team All-MIAA. 

Along with grad transfer/volleyball All-American Alyssa Frauendorfer, this trio led Kearney to a 21-7 record, the program’s 17th 20-win season. UNK was regionally-ranked for the first time in nine years, finished fifth after an 8-0 start and the “Big Three” helped the Lopers win 12 games by 10 points or less, including four OT contests. 

In 2018-19 a team with seven true freshmen went 15-14 and tied for eighth in the MIAA. Qualifying for the league tourney, the freshmen class accounted for 71% of the team’s point total with two being named All-MIAA.

During the 2019-20 season, the Lopers amassed 26 wins in 32 tries. UNK just missed out on making the NCAA's in reaching the MIAA tourney semis for the first time. Having win streaks of seven and 11 games, UNK finished third and had five named all-conference. 

The 2020-21 UNK team went 23-4 during a pandemic-shortened season. The Lopers won the MIAA Tourney, beating rival Fort Hays State on its home court in the finals. The team then reached the Central Regional finals with Eighmey being tabbed the World Exposure Division II National Coach of the Year. She also earned that organization's "Coach of the Week" honor once and was named the Omaha World-Herald's Midlands Women's C.O.Y. and the Lincoln Journal Star's State College Co-C.O.Y.

Coach Carrie EighmeyYear seven at UNK brought 24 wins, national and regional rankings and another berth in the NCAA Tournament. The veteran Lopers had an 11-game win streak, had five named All-MIAA and reached the MIAA Tourney semis in Kansas City. Eighmey also was tabbed as the World Exposure "Coach of the Week" for week four. 

In 2022-23, a team lead by four "Super Seniors" won the MIAA regular season title with a sparkling 20-2 mark. That included a 15-game win streak where the Lopers showed its maturity by winning a series of close games. UNK again was nationally and regionally ranked and made the NCAA Tourney once again. Also going 15-0 at home, the Lopers saw Eighmey tabbed as a finalist for the WBCA D2 Coach of the Year award. 

At her alma mater, Hastings won 25 and 28 games, respectively, in 2014 and 2015. The Broncos reached the NAIA Division II Tournament national quarterfinals in 2014 and the semifinals a year later.

Eighmey was the head assistant coach at Hastings for four seasons (2004-08) before holding the same position at Hays from 2008-12.MIAA Tour. Champs

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. The point guard set school records for career assists and career steals while earning first-team All-American honors. At Sandy Creek, she was a part of a 95-game winning streak and four Class C-1 state titles.

Eighmey’s husband, Devin, is a former college basketball player who has served as a Loper women’s and men's assistant coach.


Year-By Year with Coach Eighmey
At UNK
2022-23    28-5 (20-2)      NCAA 1st Round; MIAA Regular Season Champs
2021-22    24-8 (13-5)      NCAA 2nd Round; MIAA Tournament Semis
2020-21    22-3 (19-3)      NCAA Sweet 16; MIAA Tournament Champs
2019-20    26-6 (14-5)      MIAA Tournament Semis    
2018-19    15-14 (8-11)    MIAA Tournament 1st Rd.
2017-18    21-7 (13-6)      MIAA Tournament 1st Rd.
2016-17    12-16 (8-11)    MIAA Tournament 1st Rd.
2015-16    16-14 (11-11)  MIAA Tournament Quarters
                 165-74 (111-54)

At Hastings (Neb.) College 
2014-15    25-9 (15-5)       NAIA Final Four   
2013-14    28-6 (16-4)       NAIA Elite Eight; Co-GPAC Regular Season Champs
2012-13    15-16 (10-10)   GPAC Tournament Quarters
                 68-31 (41-19)

Totals    233-105 (152-73 Conf.)