South Dakota women’s basketball coach Carrie Eighmey has announced the hiring of Paul Fessler as an assistant coach for the Coyotes.
“I feel like Paul is a perfect fit for our program and for USD!” Eighmey shared. “Paul has over 25 years of college coaching experience, both as a long-time Division II head coach and a Division I assistant. He has a knack for making programs better. He’s a great addition to our recruiting efforts as he has recruited the Midwest throughout his entire coaching career. He also has a very good understanding of the Summit League as he has experience in this league.”
Fessler joins the Coyotes from Georgia Southern, but previously spent time in Kansas City. In his lone season with Georgia Southern as the associate head coach, he helped them reach a 16-18 record, winning 7 of their final 11 games. They won two Sun Belt Conference Tournament games, marking the first time since 2005 that Georgia Southern won multiple games in the conference tournament.
Fessler has eight years of coaching at the Division I level under his belt. Previous to his time at Georgia Southern, Fessler spent two seasons at Kansas City and five seasons at Bradley. He helped guide Bradley to its first NCAA Tournament bid in 2021.
“I want to thank head coach Carrie Eighmey for this opportunity,” Fessler said. “I’m excited to be back close to home and join the Coyote Women’s Basketball Staff. I look forward to supporting Coach Eighmey and help her build USD into a consistent championship program. She is a proven winner and a great person to be around. My wife and I look forward to being a part of the Vermillion community.”
Prior to entering the Division I ranks, Fessler spent 16 seasons as the head coach at Division II Concordia-St. Paul. He complied a 326-148 record and 10 NCAA Championship bids, reaching the D-II Elite Eight in 2013-14. Fessler was inducted into the Minnesota Girls Basketball Hall of Fame in 2012. He captured three NJCAA Division III National Championships in his first head coaching stop, spending four seasons at Annoka Ramsey Community College.
Hailing from Calumet, Iowa, Fessler earned his bachelor’s degree in physical education from Northern Iowa in 1988. Fessler and his wife, Shelly, have one daughter, Jade.
