Arkansas State Vice Chancellor for Intercollegiate Athletics Jeff Purinton announced that head women’s basketball coach Destinee Rogers, who has led the program to its first ever NCAA Tournament appearance this season, has signed a new agreement that extends her contract to March 31, 2029.
“Behind the strength of Coach Rogers’ leadership, our women’s basketball team has put together a historic season this year,” said Purinton. “The growth of our program under Coach Rogers is evident as we get set to begin play in our first-ever NCAA Tournament this weekend. She coaches an exciting brand of basketball – her teams play at a fast pace while applying high pressure, and this year we’ve made a school-record number of three pointers. The outstanding work, both on and off the court, by Coach Rogers, her staff and our student-athletes has led to unprecedented success, so we’re excited about the future of A-State women’s basketball under her direction.”
In her third full season as head coach at A-State, Rogers has guided the Red Wolves to a 21-10 overall record this season to tie the seventh most victories in program history. Most recently, A-State claimed its first ever Sun Belt Conference Tournament championship after completing the regular season with a 15-3 league mark.
Arkansas State’s impressive run to the NCAA Tournament under Rogers this year saw it post 13 straight conference wins before going on to earn the No. 2 seed in the Sun Belt Tournament. Returning just three players from last year’s team, A-State was the only NCAA Division I team this season picked to finish last or next-to-last in the preseason poll and finish among the top two in its league standings.
“It’s a great honor to be the head women’s basketball coach at Arkansas State University,” said Rogers. “I’m grateful to God to have the opportunity to work with my outstanding staff and coach these amazing players and people every day. I’m extremely proud of their unwavering commitment, how hard they’ve worked and the way they represent our university and community. I want to thank Jeff Purinton, Dr. Todd Shields, Dr. Brendan Kelly and the ASU Board of Trustees for their continued support and leadership. We look forward to competing in the upcoming NCAA Tournament and the bright future ahead for our program.”
Posting their first winning season and trip to Sun Belt Tournament’s title game since 2015-16 and 2014-15, respectively, Rogers has the Red Wolves ranked 19th in the CollegeInsider Mid-Major Top 25 poll heading into the NCAA Tournament.
The No. 15 seed, A-State is set to face No. 2 seed UConn in the first round on Saturday in Storrs, Conn. The contest will appear on ABC, making it the first television broadcast on an over-the-air network in program history.
“Coach Rogers has done an amazing job as our head women’s basketball coach, leading our program to heights that have never been achieved before,” said A-State Chancellor Dr. Todd Shields. “She has not only built a team that performs at a high level on the court, she runs a program that consistently represents our university in a first-class manner. We’re excited to announce this contract extension for Coach Rogers, providing important continuity with a high-caliber coach during a time of great momentum for our women’s basketball program.”
Rogers coached a pair of All-Sun Belt selections this season in Zyion Shannon and Crislyn Rose, marking the first time A-State had a pair of all-conference picks since 2015-16. The previous year with Rogers at the helm, the Red Wolves had a First Team All-Sun Belt choice for the first time since 2015-16 as well.
“We have faith in Coach Rogers’ leadership, particularly in the way she leads the program with optimism and enthusiasm,” said ASU System President Dr. Brendan Kelly. “It shows in the results of this remarkable season, and we can’t wait to see what’s ahead for A-State women’s basketball.”
Rogers was announced as Arkansas State’s eighth all-time head women’s basketball coach on March 13, 2022, after completing the 2021-22 season as the Red Wolves’ Interim Head Coach. A-State improved or matched its win total her first three years as either interim head coach or head coach before its breakout season in 2024-25, which has seen the Red Wolves win at least 21 games for the first time in nearly a decade.
