Kearney, Neb. – Nebraska-Kearney's Carrie Eighmey has been selected as the winner of the 2020-21 NCAA Division II World Exposure Women's College Basketball Head Coach of the Year.
 
The other finalists included Amy Eagan (Drury, Mo.), Tianni Kelly (Charleston, W.V.) and Steve Gomez (Lubbock Christian, Texas).
 
Over the last six years Eighmey and her staff have guided a rebuild of the Loper program. Finishing 23-4 (19-3 MIAA) in 2020-21, UNK won a conference tournament championship and had its third-ever NCAA "Sweet Sixteen" appearance. Prior to the arrival of Eighmey, the Lopers had a total of 58 wins over six years.

Since she has taken over the program, UNK has recorded 113 wins, finished in the top eight in the MIAA every year, and became the first female head coach in the MIAA to win the conference tourney in 23 years. Next, Eighmey has brought the program back to being nationally and regionally ranked, had its entire starting five earn All-MIAA honors in 2019-20 and posted a 12-game win streak to start this past season. Finally, the Lopers have won 49 of its last 59 games. 
 
In eight years as a college head coach Eighmey is now 181-92 (66.3 win pct.). She picked up career win 150 on January 23rd, 2020, at Northwest Missouri State and has five 20-win seasons in her head coaching tenure. Previously the Edgar native spent three years at Hastings College, restoring her alma mater and taking them to the  Final Four her last year there.
 
UNK finished the year ranked ninth in the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) Top 25 poll and will return the majority of its roster for the 2021-22 campaign.