Ashland University women’s basketball coach Robyn Fralick has signed a two-year contract extension to remain as head coach of the reigning NCAA Division II national champion Lady Eagles.
“This is particularly significant because we generally do not extend multi-year contracts to our coaches, but there was consensus in the University community and the Ashland community at large that Coach Fralick is building a culture of excellence that deserved our investment,” said Dr. Carlos Campo, president of Ashland University.
When asked about the contact extension, Fralick said, “I am thrilled for this opportunity at Ashland University and am really thankful to Dr. Campo and Al King. Ashland University and the community are home for my family. I am excited to continue this journey leading the Ashland University women’s basketball program.”
Campo added that the contract extension will ensure that the University has continuity moving forward.
“Coach Fralick’s remarkable success makes her a coveted leader, and we wanted to ensure that she stayed here at Ashland to extend what she is building – building on Sue Ramsey’s legacy at AU,” Campo said. “As we look at our strategic goals for the future, Coach Fralick embodies what we look for in an Ashland University leader. She is a person of integrity, a phenomenal mentor who leads by example, understands the importance of academics, and has created a foundation of excellence from which we can build a ‘Division II dynasty’ for women’s basketball.”
AU Director of Athletics Al King also commented on the contact extension.
“The strength of Ashland University has always been its people. Even with all the fantastic facilities we have, the foundation here has been the remarkable people who call this campus home. That’s certainly the case with Robyn, who’s recognized as one of the brightest, innovative and talented coaches in the game. We are fortunate to have her leading our program and as a university, we wanted to do all we could to retain her,” he said.
Fralick guided the Eagles to their second NCAA Division II national championship in 2017, as AU won the D-II national title game, 93-77, over Virginia Union at Ohio Dominican University in Columbus. Ashland finished the 2016-17 season at 37-0, becoming the first D-II women’s basketball team to win that many games without a loss in a single season. The Eagles also set the D-II women’s basketball record for points in a season with 3,456.
In just two seasons leading Ashland, Fralick is 68-2 (.971), was named the 2016-17 Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) Division II National Coach of the Year and is a two-time Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Coach of the Year and Columbus Dispatch Ohio Women’s Basketball Coach of the Year. She won her first 21 games as a head coach to begin the 2015-16 campaign.
Although 2017-18 will be her third season at Ashland as head coach, Fralick will enter her 10th season at the university overall. She was an assistant coach during her first three seasons with the Eagles, and was the program’s associate head coach from 2011-12 to 2014-15. During her time as associate head coach, the Eagles were 113-21 (.843). During Fralick’s seven total seasons as an assistant coach, the Eagles won 74 percent of their games.
http://goashlandeagles.com/sports/wbkb/2017-18/releases/20170717px6qfa
Tagged with: Contract Extension DII Head Coach