The women’s basketball program is currently being run by associate head coach Arthur Moreira, according to University of Idaho Athletics.
Jerek Wolcott, UI Athletics spokesperson, confirmed Tuesday Moreira will fill in for the time being since he is now the senior coach on staff after the announcement that former coach Carrie Eighmey is leaving UI to take the head coaching job at the University of South Dakota.
“I am excited to coach and continue to build the Vandal basketball team. I am also thrilled that Drew (Muscatell) will stay on with us and his family will have the chance to stay here in Moscow,” Moreira said in an email to the Argonaut. “Our goal of bringing a Big Sky title to the ICCU Arena has not changed, and we are focused on retaining the tremendous student-athletes we have recruited. There is a lot of work ahead of us, but we know that this is still a great place to play basketball and get a great education, and we look forward to helping our student-athletes succeed on and off the court.”
Eighmey spent less than a year as head coach for UI, finishing the 2023-2024 season at 15-16 overall and 8-10 in Big Sky conference play. Eighmey was set to sign a multi-year contract with UI but never actually put the pen to paper.
Her contract was pending during her entire stint as the Vandals head coach, according to Wolcott. Because her contract was never finalized, she was able to avoid the contract-required $500,000 buyout in order to leave the position.
Eighmey would have had to pay the half million dollars “to the university as liquidated damages and not a penalty,” according to her contract.
If the contract had been finalized, it would have been a five-year deal, with decreasing buyout amounts as the years progressed. If UI had terminated the contract, it would have owed Eighmey a year’s salary, about $120,000, plus $30,000 in media fees.
Wolcott said that Eighmey initially interviewed for the South Dakota head coaching job in 2022 and did not get it. Kayla Karius, Eighmey is replacing, was hired instead. Karius announced a week ago that she was leaving South Dakota to coach at her alma mater, the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay.
“I am so excited to have Carrie Eighmey joining the Coyote family,” South Dakota Athletic Director Job Schemmel said. “She is a proven winner. Her energy is infectious and is matched only by her passion for teaching and impacting the lives of the young women she coaches. I couldn’t imagine a better fit to be the next leader of our women’s basketball program and I am thrilled to welcome her and Devin (Eighmey) to USD and the Vermillion community.”
Eighmey shared the same excitement about the move.
“I am honored to accept the role as the head coach of the South Dakota women’s basketball program,” Eighmey said. “There is a long history and tradition of success and excellence here, and I couldn’t be more excited to have the opportunity to continue building on that tradition. I have followed this program for many years and I’ve always been impressed by the support of the Coyote fan base. I am excited to get to work and see what we can build together.”
Eighmey leaves amid a changing Vandal roster. Before the news of her departure, five players from the 2023-2024 team entered the transfer portal, including First Team Big Sky player Kennedy Johnson. The four other players to leave were Aspen Caldwell, Madelyn Muniz, Jenna Kilty and Georgia Gray.
Johnson has since committed to Saint Mary’s College. Aspen Caldwell committed to Utah Valley University. Madelyn Muniz committed to Cal State Fullerton. Georgia Gray committed to Appalachian State University. It has not been confirmed if Jenna Kilty has signed anywhere yet, and the transfer portal closed May 1, according to Wolcott. Gawlik said that the unique situation created by Eighmey’s departure extends their ability to enter the portal by one month.
“As far as student-athletes currently on the roster, the window to enter the portal closes on May 1, but it would extend their transfer window to 30 days from today,” Gawlik said in an email to the Argonaut.
Eighmey signed seven players from the transfer portal this spring in hopes to stabilize the program after the five departures. However, because Eighmey left for South Dakota, those seven players have the option to opt out of their decision to come to UI.
“Any transfer student from the portal signs an aid agreement and is not held to the same standards as a high schooler who would have signed a National Letter of Intent,” Gawlik said in the email. “Committed transfers would be eligible to get out of their commitment without penalty, but we are hopeful that they will still become Vandals.”
“We hope the student-athletes that we have already recruited, whether through the portal or otherwise, stay committed to Idaho. Coach Moreira and Coach Muscatell are hard at work to retain our strong recruiting class and build on their success,” Gawlik said.
Four of the seven players that signed for the upcoming season have confirmed they will be transferring to UI despite the head coaching change. These players include Rosie Schweizer from University of the Pacific, Olivia Nelson from the University of Central Missouri, Hope Hassmann from Cal State Fullerton University and Jennifer Aadland from Augustana University.
The players that have not confirmed they are sticking with Idaho include Ruthie Loomis-Goltl from Colorado University, Anja Bukvic from Louisiana Tech University and Tyler McCliment-Call from Stephen F. Austin State University.
Eighmey’s single season in Moscow was riddled with injuries to several players. She lost the team’s leading scorer Hope Butera midway through the season due to injury.
Prior to Idaho, Eighmey coached at Nebraska-Kearney for eight years. She led the team to three consecutive NCAA D-II tournaments, including a Sweet 16 appearance in the 2020-2021 season.
With Moreira acting as the senior coach on staff, UI athletics is hopeful the current roster holds steady.
“We hope the student-athletes that we have already recruited, whether through the portal or otherwise, stay committed to Idaho. Coach Moreira and Coach Muscatell are hard at work to retain our strong recruiting class and build on their success,” Gawlik said in the email.
Although Eighmey’s stay at Moscow was short-lived, Gawlik is thankful for the impact she and her husband Devin had on the women’s basketball program.
“We are grateful to coach Eighmey for her contributions to Vandal women’s basketball over the last 12 months and wish her the best as she and Devin return to the Midwest. We believe that we have the resources to build a successful program, and we will move forward with that goal in mind,” Gawlik said in the email.
UI athletics is currently working to fill the head coaching position as soon as possible, according to Wolcott. They hope to find stability for the program amid an expeditious coaching changes, unsure transfer commits and mass player departures.
Joanna Hayes can be reached at [email protected]