Carrie Daniels, who has served as Austin Peay State University women’s basketball coach for the last nine seasons, will not return in 2015-16. APSU Athletics Director Derek van der Merwe announced Monday her contract would not be renewed.
"Basketball is an important part of Austin Peay State University Athletics Department’s overall identity and is a critical focus of our strategic growth in the next few years," said van der Merwe, who extended Daniels’ contract one year after the 2013-14 season’s 9-20 record. "Our University and its students, faculty, fans and alum want a sustained culture of excellence across all of our sport programs. Today, we are going to take another step to position Governors Athletics for success.
"I would like to thank Carrie Daniels and her staff for their commitment to Austin Peay State University and the Governors. We appreciate and value her years of service."
The Lady Govs basketball 2014-15 season ended Wednesday with a 72-69 loss to SIU Edwardsville in the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament. The loss ended their season with a 10-20 record, APSU’s fourth straight 20-loss season.
Austin Peay owned a 98-177 record (.356) in Daniels’ nine seasons, averaging 11 wins per season. Her best season was a 17-16 mark in 2008-09.
The Lady Govs were 65-93 (.411) in OVC play under Daniels, including losing campaigns the last four seasons.
The Lady Govs captured back-to-back OVC tourney championships during the 2008-09 and 2009-10 seasons. This season, however, was APSU’s first OVC tourney appearance since 2012.
APSU’s highest regular-season finish under Daniels was third place (11-7) in 2009-10.
The Lady Govs ranked in the bottom two in the OVC for scoring defense during the last two seasons; were ranked in the bottom fourth in defensive field-goal percentage and last in rebound margin this season.
The former Carrie Thompson, Daniels starred at guard for APSU from 1991-96, helping lead the Lady Govs to their first OVC tournament title in 1996. She finished her career with more than 1,000 points and 300 assists.
van der Merwe said a national search will begin immediately for the 15th coach in APSU’s history that dates back to the 1920s.
