South Dakota women’s basketball coach Carrie Eighmey has announced the additions of Devin Eighmey and Bailey Morris to the Coyotes’ staff. Both were members of Eighmey’s staff at Idaho and at Nebraska-Kearney.
“I’m excited to announce Bailey Morris and Devin Eighmey as the newest members of our women’s basketball staff,” said head coach Carrie Eighmey. “I am extremely grateful to continue working alongside both Bailey and Devin as we have developed so much continuity and connectivity over the past several years.”
Devin Eighmey enters his ninth season on his wife’s staff. He’s served as the recruiting coordinator, recruiting more than 20 all-MIAA honorees, including two Defensive Players of the Year, three MIAA all-tournament selections and one MIAA Tournament MVP.
“Devin is a tireless worker and a phenomenal recruiter,” said Carrie Eighmey. “He is a relationship builder which has allowed him to successfully recruit the Midwest for a number of years. I am confident that he will be a huge asset in our recruiting effort here at USD. He’s also played an integral role in the development of our defensive system and our game preparation.”
In the final four seasons at UNK, the Lopers posted a win percentage of .815 and reached the NCAA Tournament three-straight years.
Prior to joining the women’s program at UNK, Eighmey served as an assistant coach for the men’s basketball program. He was on the bench for a Loper men’s squad that went 21-12 in 2015-16, reached the second round of the NCAA Division II Tournament, and was the MIAA Tournament runner-up.
Other coaching stops on the men’s side include Northwest Missouri State and William Jewell. At Northwest Missouri State, the Bearcats won their first outright MIAA regular season title in 30 years while reaching the NCAA Tournament’s Sweet 16 twice.
A native of Independence, Missouri, Eighmey graduated from Peru State in 2012 with a double-major in K-12 health and physical education & sport management and exercise science. He played basketball throughout his undergraduate career, finishing his eligibility at Peru State as the Bobcats’ team captain. Prior to Peru State, he played for Upper Iowa and Central Missouri College where he was a two-time all-region selection. He earned a master’s in education from Northwest Missouri State.
Bailey Morris enters her seventh season on Eighmey’s staff. She will serve as USD’s director of basketball operations in the same role she held at Idaho last season. She was an assistant coach for the five previous seasons at the University of Nebraska-Kearney.
“Bailey has served and thrived in various roles throughout the past few years,” said Carrie Eighmey. “She has the experience and ability to manage the administrative tasks within the program, and she’s also a very effective coach on the floor. She is a teacher of the game and builds great relationships with our athletes. She’s been a part of winning programs and understands what it takes to be successful.”
Morris helped the Lopers to five-straight winning seasons in Kearney with three-straight NCAA Tournament appearances from 2021-23.
Prior to arriving on Eighmey’s staff in Kearney, Morris spent three seasons coaching at the NAIA level. She started her coaching career under former USD associate head coach Jason Jeschke at Oklahoma Wesleyan in 2015-16. She spent a second season as a graduate assistant at Dakota Wesleyan in Mitchell, South Dakota, before getting an assistant coaching position at Briar Cliff in nearby Sioux City, Iowa.
A native of Clay Center, Nebraska, Morris starred at Concordia (Neb.) from 2012-15. She graduated as the Bulldogs’ all-time leading scorer with 2,054 points. She was tabbed the 2015 NAIA Division II Player of the Year. The 5-foot-4 point guard was twice named the Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) Player of the Year and was an Academic All-American. Concordia went 35-3 her senior year and finished as national runners-up. The Bulldogs were 119-21 during her collegiate career.
