Jaylynn Stewart has been named Eureka Women’s Basketball Coach, according to an announcement from EC Director of Athletics Bryan Moore on Thursday morning.
Stewart, a 2014 EC alum, will be the 13th head coach in Eureka women’s basketball history.
The accomplished former Red Devil returns to Eureka after spending five prolific seasons as a Division III women’s basketball assistant coach at La Roche University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Since 2015, Stewart has helped the Red Hawks capture four regular-season conference titles and clinch two NCAA Tournament bids.
She was also an assistant coach for the Pittsburgh Steel City Queens in the semi-professional Women’s American Basketball Association in 2018.
“Jaylynn brings an undeniable track record of success as a coach and a recruiter at the Division III level,” EC Director of Athletics Bryan Moore said. “She knows how to win, and we’re very eager for her to bring her energy and mentorship to our women’s basketball student-athletes.
“As a former Eureka College student-athlete, she helped set the tone for what has become an era of great success and consistency for our women’s basketball program. We can’t wait for her to become reengaged on campus and begin leading our program.”
A former two-year letter-winner who made 45 appearances for the Red Devils, Stewart led the team to back-to-back SLIAC Tournaments, including a championship game appearance in 2012, and earned All-SLIAC honors in 2013. She was also a member of the EC softball team in 2012.
Stewart graduated from EC with a bachelor’s degree in athletic training in 2014, and attained her master’s degree in human resource management at La Roche in 2019.
“I am extremely excited to be returning home to Illinois, and it is truly an honor to take over the women’s basketball program at my alma mater,” Stewart said. “I was blessed to have been a part of the great Eureka tradition as a player, and I can’t wait to begin the next chapter for Eureka College women’s basketball as the head coach.”
In addition to her Division III experience at Eureka, Stewart also has a rich history within high school and college basketball in central Illinois.
Stewart began her collegiate career at NCAA Division I Illinois State University and appeared in 26 games for the Redbirds from 2009-11. Prior to that, she was a two-time All-State selection at Taylorville High School in 2008 and 2009. And, before she became a college basketball coach, Stewart cut her teeth as a varsity assistant at East Peoria High School during the 2014-2015 season.
At La Roche, Stewart handled a variety of roles, including head of scouting and social media as well as the guard coach for three years and post coach for two. She was also responsible for recruiting local talent, running film sessions, organizing team road trips and monitoring players’ academic progress.
In five seasons, Stewart coached two Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference Players of the Year, three AMCC Defensive Players of the Year and five of the top 10 scorers in La Roche program history.
The Red Hawks qualified for the AMCC Tournament five times and made it to the AMCC Tournament championship four times.
Stewart will take over a Eureka team that has five players eligible to return from last season’s squad, which went 13-12 on the season and 9-9 in the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.
Photo Courtesy Eureka Athletics
http://eurekareddevils.com/sports/wbkb/2020-21/releases/20200416gcyxvd
Tagged with: D3 Eureka College SLIAC
