After clinching another Horizon League title and an NCAA Tournament berth earlier this week, Green Bay women’s basketball head coach Kayla Karius has agreed to a contract extension that will keep her in Green Bay through the 2030-31 season. In her first year at the helm of the program, Karius guided the Phoenix to its 25th overall Horizon League Championship (18th HL tournament title) and 20th NCAA Tournament appearance. The Phoenix is currently 29-5 and will learn their NCAA opponent on ESPN’s Selection Sunday Show tomorrow evening.
“We are thrilled to extend Kayla as the leader of Phoenix basketball,” said Mark Murphy Endowed Director of Athletics Josh Moon. “She has done amazing work this past year and we look forward to a bright future for this storied program under her leadership!”
Karius, a 2011 graduate of UW-Green Bay and Sheboygan, Wisconsin native, was tasked with succeeding Kevin Borseth following his retirement last spring after Green Bay won the Horizon League Tournament Championship and went to the NCAA Tournament. Under Karius’ leadership this season, GB clinched its 48th consecutive winning season, a streak that only trails Tennessee. The Green and White is also riding a 22-game winning streak, currently tied for the second-longest in the country. The streak is also the longest in program history since GB won 24 in a row during the 2012-13 season. Green Bay’s 29 wins this season are the most since the 2017-18 season. Karius has also guided several players to award-winning seasons. Bailey Butler was named Defensive Player of the Year, and Natalie McNeal and Maddy Schreiber were tabbed to the All-League First Team. Jasmine Kondrakiewicz also made the All-Defensive Team. Calile Genke was named as a Sportsmanship Award finalist. In the classroom, Schreiber was named to the Horizon League All-Academic Team, while Genke and McNeal earned All-Academic Honorable Mention. McNeal also became the first Horizon League women’s basketball player to earn consecutive Tournament MVP awards on March 11, and Green Bay had four different players earn Horizon League Player of the Week (spread across seven weeks), by far the most in the HL.
“I am proud to represent UWGB and thankful to this University for making our women’s basketball program a priority and providing a first-class college basketball experience for our student-athletes,” said Karius. “Our campus and community support is second to none, having led the Horizon League in attendance each of the last 25 years. Thank you Chancellor Alexander and Mark Murphy Endowed Director of Athletics Josh Moon for their continued support and belief in our coaching staff and our women’s basketball program long into the future.”
Another signature moment in Karius’ first season was on March 1, when Green Bay defeated Purdue Fort Wayne to clinch the number one seed and its 23rd regular season championship. The dramatic 68-63 overtime victory happened in front of a lively crowd of 3,531 at the Kress Center, marking the largest home crowd in a half-decade, and the third-largest crowd since the 2012-13 season.
Tagged with: Horizon