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Lisa Carlsen, associate head coach the past three seasons for the WSU women’s basketball team, has been hired as head coach at Lewis, a Division II program in Romeoville, Ill.
Carlsen also will serve as senior woman administrator at Lewis. She was hired by athletic director Dan Schumacher, who left WSU a little more than a year ago.
Schumacher, a graduate and former football player for the Warriors, served as the director of athletic development at WSU.
“Having worked with Lisa in the past, I have firsthand knowledge of her abilities as both a coach and administrator,” Schumacher said in a statement. “I know Lisa is a great fit for this program and for Lewis. ... She had tremendous success in helping to rebuild the Winona State program. I am confident Lisa will keep our program at the top for many years to come.”
Lewis went 28-4 last season and reached the Great Lakes Regional semifinals the past two seasons.
Carlsen replaces Lynn Plett, now head coach at Missouri Western State.
“I am extremely excited about the opportunity to take over the women’s basketball program at Lewis University and continue the success that coach Plett established,” Carlsen said in a statement. “I’d like to thank Dan Schumacher for the tremendous opportunity.”
This will be the second head coaching opportunity for Carlsen, who spent three seasons as head coach at Nebraska-Omaha.
A native of Earling, Iowa, Carlsen also coached softball for four years at College of Saint Mary’s (Neb.) and one season at Wayne State (Neb.).
Carlsen was a four-time all-conference player at Northwest Missouri State and played professionally for three seasons with the Nebraska Express of the Women’s Basketball Association.
“I hate to lose her, but I’m happy for her,” said WSU coach Scott Ballard, who coached in Missouri for 25 years before coming to WSU. “An opportunity presented itself and it was too good to pass up.”
Ballard said Carlsen is his fifth assistant to become a head coach. He said replacing her won’t be easy.
“We were partners in what we were trying to do here,” said Ballard, who’s helped the Warriors go from three wins in 2004-05 to a 15-12 record last season. “She was a veteran and knew how to handle players and all the different situations. I’ll miss her a lot.”
Carlsen’s husband, Chris, was an assistant baseball coach with the Warriors. Ballard said it’s possible he could end up in the same position with the Flyers.
Ballard said he wasn’t sure when a replacement would be named. With school starting in three weeks, the timing of Carlsen’s departure makes it tough to find suitable candidates.
Ballard said the team could name a temporary assistant and open the job up in the spring.
The Warriors open the regular season Nov. 2 at the Disney Women’s Tip-Off Classic in Orlando, Fla. WSU opens against Colorado-Colorado Springs.
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