Former CMU assistant coach and Mid-Michigan legend Kristin Haynie is the new head women’s basketball coach at Central Michigan University, Zyzelewski Family Associate Vice President/Director of Athletics Amy Folan announced this morning. Haynie becomes the 13th head coach in Chippewa women’s basketball history.
“It’s exciting to have Kristin leading our program,” Folan said. “She is a Michigan girl that learned basketball here. Basketball has taken her to a Big Ten Championship, an NCAA Final Four, a WNBA championship, and all around the world. She is part of the Sue Guevara and Suzy Merchant coaching tree. As two women who have had a tremendous impact on this program and the game nationally, Kristin is a perfect fit for our student-athletes at Central Michigan. It’s nice to have her back home in Mount Pleasant to lead our program.”
“We are excited to get a coach of Kristin’s caliber,” Folan said. “We want to express our gratitude to the Minnesota Lynx. The Lynx have been the long-standing gold standard of the WNBA. This hire could not have happened without their support and flexibility.”
“We are delighted to welcome Coach Haynie back to CMU,” said CMU president Bob Davies. “In our conversations, it was immediately clear that she shares our commitment to helping our student-athletes achieve a degree on one hand and a championship ring on the other. I know she will push our amazing team to excel on the court, in the classroom, and in the community.”
“I am thrilled to be here,” Haynie said. “What a great opportunity to be coaching in my home state and in this incredible Mount Pleasant community. I want to thank Amy Folan, Dr. Robert Davies, and the rest of the university for making this dream come true. I am excited to get to know the players and invest in them on and off the court and to continue to bring championships to this amazing program.”
Haynie, who has won at every level of basketball, takes over a Central Michigan Women’s Basketball program that has made seven NCAA Tournament appearances (1983, 1984, 2013, 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021), won five Mid-American Conference Tournament titles (1983, 1984, 2013, 2018, and 2021), captured eight MAC regular season overall/division championships (1983-84, 1984-85, 2013-14 West Division, 2015-16 West Division, 2016-17 Overall/West Division, 2017-18 Overall/West Division, 2018-19 Overall/West Division, 2019-20 Overall/West Division), and advanced to five Women’s National Invitation Tournament appearances (2011, 2012, 2014, 2016, and 2017).
In her previous stint at Central Michigan as an assistant coach under Sue Guevara (2014-17), Haynie helped lead the Chippewas to the 2017 Mid-American Conference championship with guard Presley Hudson earning MAC Freshman of the Year honors. CMU also claimed the 2016 MAC West Championship. During her time in Mount Pleasant, the Chippewas totaled a 58-38 combined overall record and 36-18 league record.
Haynie spent the last month as an assistant coach with the Women’s National Basketball Association’s Minnesota Lynx. She recently completed the 2022-23 season as an assistant coach at her alma mater Michigan State University, where she spent the past four seasons under head coach and Central Michigan graduate Suzy Merchant.
The Spartan legend has cultivated strong coaching ties in the state of Michigan as she came back to East Lansing after working as a basketball skills trainer in western and central Michigan. She worked as a mentor to inspire and motivate athletes to reach their full potential and help them realize their impact off the court.
Haynie began her coaching career as an assistant at Eastern Michigan from 2012-14.
As a point guard, Haynie had a stellar collegiate career at Michigan State, ranking as the career leader in assists (574) and steals (346). She finished her career ranked eighth in MSU history in scoring (1,199 points) and is still 15th in career scoring. At the time of her graduation, she was just the fourth player in Big Ten history to reach career totals of 1,000 points, 500 rebounds, 500 assists and 300 steals. She is also the Michigan State leader in single-season steals with 117. The point guard is still one of just three Spartan women’s basketball players to record a triple-double and became the first woman to complete a triple double (points, assists, and steals) in the NCAA Tournament. In 2005, she guided the Spartans to a 33-win season, the Big Ten Championship, the program’s first-ever Final Four appearance, and berth in the NCAA Championship Game.
Just weeks after the 2005 National Championship game, Haynie was selected with the ninth pick in the 2005 WNBA Draft by the Sacramento Monarchs. She helped the Monarchs capture the WNBA title in her first season as a pro. She played in 160 games during her WNBA career, spending five seasons in the WNBA from 2005-09 with the Monarchs, Atlanta Dream, and Detroit Shock. During her stint in the WNBA, Haynie played professionally in Italy, Lithuania, Russia, and Greece.
Haynie was inducted into the Michigan State University Hall of Fame in 2017 and the Greater Lansing Sports Hall of Fame in 2016.
A native of Mason, Mich., Haynie graduated from Michigan State with a degree in family community service in 2005.
