Story Courtesy: SOU Sports Information
David Heard, a Southern Oregon University alum and longtime staple of the local basketball scene, will take over as the Raiders’ interim head women’s basketball coach for the 2026-27 season, SOU Director of Athletics Matt Sayre announced.
Heard had assisted the team in a volunteer capacity since 2023 with basketball operations and recruiting. The beginning of that stint coincided with his retirement after working for 34 years in the Central Point School District, including the last 11 as the Athletic Director at Crater High. Between 1995-2017, he compiled a 255-85 record over 12 seasons as the Crater girls basketball coach and helped the Comets to six state tournament trophies.
His appointment follows the resignation of Carlotta Kloppenburg-Pruitt, who went 134-31 and won five Cascade Conference titles across five seasons at SOU. A search for her permanent replacement will be conducted next spring.
“We’re pleased to have Coach Heard step into the interim role for the Raiders,” Sayre said. “He was an integral part of our program’s success the past couple of years and is a known entity to the team and department. He’s been a very successful coach and AD and will have the Raiders rolling this coming season. The program is in great hands.”
Heard was named the OSAA’s Class 5A Athletic Director of the Year in 2023 and the Central Point Chamber of Commerce’s Educator of the Year in 2020. As a coach, he was a two-time Southern Oregon Conference Coach of the Year, a seven-time conference champion, and guided Crater to three OSAA championship game appearances.
“It is an honor to come back to my alma mater and be in a position to step into such a great basketball program with unbelievably great student-athletes,” Heard said. “CK and her staff established high expectations and recruited in a way that the quality of people we have on the team is second to none.”
Added Heard: “Moving forward, our plan is to continue with these types of standards on and off the court. My hope is to provide the community with quality citizens and a quality product that the town of Ashland and our alumni are proud to be a part of.”
Heard attended Southern Oregon from 1985-90, was a four-year member of the Raider men’s basketball team and still owns the highest career 3-point percentage (48.8) in program history. His youngest daughter, Mallory, played at SOU from 2017-22.
Tagged with: NAIA
