CHENEY, Wash. – Eastern Washington University Director of Athletics, Bill Chaves, has announced a new five-year contract for women's basketball head coach Wendy Schuller. The contract runs through the 2022 season.
"We are excited to have Coach Schuller leading our program for the next five years," said Chaves. "During the past five years, we have consistently been in the top third of the Big Sky Conference and I have no doubt that will continue. Additionally, it is great to have "the dean" of women's basketball coaches on our staff at Eastern. Wendy will continue to provide leadership for our entire department and university community."
In 16 seasons at the helm of the women's basketball program, Schuller has led the Eagles to a 237-245 overall record, including a 137-123 record in Big Sky play. Eastern has advanced to the Big Sky Conference Tournament in 13 of Schuller's 16 seasons as head coach, including the past seven campaigns.
"My family and I feel incredibly blessed to be part of Eastern Washington University and I am excited that we will continue to call Cheney our home for the foreseeable future," said Schuller. "I am very appreciative of the support from the leadership at EWU, especially Bill Chaves and Dr. Cullinan. Eagle Nation has great fans and I am looking forward to moving into the future with a tremendous group of student-athletes and a loyal and dedicated coaching staff."
The past five seasons have seen the Eagles post a 95-65 (63-31, Big Sky) record under Schuller, including a 21 win season in 2014-15, 20 wins in 2015-16 and 19 wins in 2016-17.
After the Eagles won their first Big Sky title under Schuller during the 2009-10 season, she guided EWU to its first-ever bid to the WNIT. She then took the Eagles back to the prestigious invitational at the conclusion of the 2012-13 season. The Eagles returned to the WNIT in 2014-15 and made it to the second round when the program notched its first-ever postseason win over Washington State. This past season, Schuller led the team to its first-ever bid in the Women's Basketball Invitational where they made it to the second round following an overtime thriller over Texas Tech for the program's second postseason victory.
Under Schuller's tutelage, players have earned a total of 34 All-Big Sky awards while Julie Piper and Brianne Ryan received Big Sky Player of the Year honors in 2010 and 2012, respectively. She also coached Julie Page to the program's first-ever Big Sky Newcomer of the Year honor in 2004 while 2013 saw Hayley Hodgins become the first player to earn Big Sky Freshman of the Year accolades in twenty years.
Most recently, Schuller coached the Eagles to a 19-14 overall record during the 2016-17 season. EWU finished fourth in the Big Sky Conference standings and made it to the tournament for the seventh year in a row. Schuller coached a trio of Eagles to All-Big Sky honors, as Delaney Hodgins (first team), Tisha Phillips (second team) and Ashli Payne (honorable mention) all earned conference recognition.
