Marshall Vice President and Director of Athletics Gerald J. Harrison announced on Friday that Marshall Women’s Basketball head coach Juli Fulks has agreed to a new contract to remain as the leader of the Herd.
“We are absolutely thrilled to retain Coach Juli Fulks and finalize a restructured agreement that positions her to remain in Kelly Green for years to come,” Harrison said. “Coach Fulks has built a program centered on an outstanding student-athlete experience while fully embracing the Herd Mentality, all while competing for – and winning – championships. Her leadership has energized Herd Nation in a powerful way, and we look forward to building on this momentum. There is no question that Coach Fulks is the right leader to continue driving our program forward!”
The newly-structured deal, which runs through the 2030-31 season with options for future years, comes after Fulks led the Herd to a record-setting season in which the team won 28 games – the most in a season in Marshall Women’s Basketball history – while continuing a culture of excellence that transcends the court.
“I’m incredibly grateful for the belief and commitment shown by President Smith, Gerald Harrison, and our administration,” Fulks said. “There is a shared vision at Marshall for excellence on the court, in the classroom and in the community, and that alignment is what makes this place so special. I’m proud of what our staff has built, and even more excited about where we’re headed. Herd Nation has embraced our program in such a powerful way, and we are deeply thankful for the energy, passion, and support that fuels everything we do.”
Fulks and the Herd capped off the season on April 4 when a sold-out crowd of 5,475 cheered on a wire-to-wire 66-41 victory over Illinois State to capture the WNIT Championship and secured their record-setting 28-9 record.
“Coach Fulks has once again demonstrated her exceptional leadership skills, closing out an incredible season,” President Brad D. Smith said. “She continues to elevate our women’s basketball program while representing our university with integrity, passion and purpose. We are delighted to retain a coach of her caliber and, just as importantly, a person of such outstanding character. Juli is an outstanding leader, an outstanding ambassador for Marshall, and a true difference-maker in the lives of student-athletes and our broader campus and community.”
The victory brought a memorable close to a season in which the Herd went 28-9 overall while finishing with 13 wins in Sun Belt Conference play, including an 83-74 overtime win over SBC Champion JMU in Huntington that snapped the Dukes’ 21-game SBC winning streak in December.
In addition to Fulks’ new deal, the agreement also increases allocations for Marshall’s assistant coaching pool, helping Fulks invest in the future development of the Thundering Herd.
“We are extremely excited to not only solidify Coach Fulks’ status leading the Herd, but also to ensure that we continue the success of this season as we move forward,” Harrison said. “This deal not only reflects our commitment to Coach Fulks, but also to the future of Women’s Basketball at Marshall University.”
The importance of that development was evident in the 2025-26 season as the Herd was led by senior transfer Timaya Lewis-Eutsey, who was the SBC Newcomer of the Year and an All-SBC First Team Selection.
Lewis-Eutsey averaged 20.0 points, 3.9 assists and 3.8 steals per game. She broke Karen Pelphrey’s 40-year Marshall record for points in a single-season with 741 and joined Notre Dame’s Hannah Hidalgo as the only players in NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball averaging 20 points and at least 3.5 assists per game. She also was one of just eight players to have seven 30-point games in the 2025-26 season.
Marshall also got significant offensive production from the 3-point line where Meredith Maier and Peyton Ilderton had two of the most prolific 3-point shooting seasons in program history. Maier hit 91 3-pointers on the season while Ilderton knocked down 82 – totals that were 2nd and 4th in a single-season, respectively.
In addition to the offensive development, Marshall was led by a defense that was in the top-20 nationally in steals per game (12.0, 11th in NCAA Div. I) and blocks per game (5.2, 18th in NCAA Div. I).
Over its last 45 games, Marshall has 34 wins as Fulks’ philosophies of strong defense and efficient offense have become the staples of the Thundering Herd success.
Fulks currently has a 43-29 record in two seasons at Marshall – a trend of success that has followed her throughout her coaching career.
In 22 seasons as a head coach, Fulks has won an astounding 72 percent of her games with a career mark of 443-172.
Tagged with: Sun Belt
