The Texas A&M International University Department of Athletics has announced the hiring of Jeff Caha as the next TAMIU Women’s Basketball Head Coach. Caha will take the reigns as the fifth coach in history for Dustdevils Women’s Basketball program.
“I’d like to thank Dr. Arenaz, Griz Zimmermann and the entire TAMIU community for awarding me this opportunity,” says Caha. “I’ve watched the Women’s Basketball program at TAMIU from a distance for a long time, and I am excited to get started.”
TAMIU Director of Athletics, Griz Zimmermann, welcomed Caha by saying, “We’re excited to have Jeff Caha as a member of our Dustdevil Athletics Family.” Zimmermann noted Caha’s impressive knowledge of the Heartland Conference and superior ability to recruit within Texas. “We’re looking forward to Jeff’s arrival on campus,” said Zimmermann.
TAMIU interim president Dr. Pablo Arenaz concurred. “Jeff will be leading a great team of players, and joins a campus of proud partners. We are looking forward to his contribution to Dustdevil life here and in our community,” Arenaz said.
Caha joins TAMIU following a two-season Associate Head Coach run with Lone Star Conference opponent, Eastern New Mexico. During his time with the Greyhounds, Caha recruited two All-LSC 2nd Team players, while developing all team activities and strength & conditioning.
Prior to ENMU, Caha saw a two-year stint as the assistant women’s basketball coach at California Baptist University. In the two years Caha was at CBU, the team had a 49-15 record, won one GSAC Championship, finished 5th in the nation in the Final NAIA Poll, finished second in the PacWest in the first year of NCAA Division II competition, coached 2 NAIA All Americans, 5 All Conference Players and had the best two-year record at CBU for women’s basketball since the 1982-84 seasons.
Prior to CBU, Caha was the men’s basketball assistant coach at NAIA-member Southern Nazarene University in Oklahoma City, Okla. In his lone season at SNU, Caha helped the Crimson Storm finish the season ranked sixth in the final NAIA Division I Coaches’ Poll and make it to the Elite Eight in the NAIA National Tournament while coaching two NAIA All Americans.
Prior to SNU, Caha spent time with the Idaho Stampede of the NBA Development League and also worked at Velocity Sports Performance in Champlin, Minn.
During the 2007-08 season, Caha was an assistant men’s coach at Southwestern Oklahoma State University in Weatherford, Okla. While at SWOSU, Caha helped the Bulldogs climb as high as No. 8 in the NABC/NCAA Division II Poll and finish the season 21-9, while coaching one NABC All-American and three All-Lone Star Conference players, including the Lone Star Defensive Player of the Year.
Caha spent four years as an assistant men’s coach at Cochise College in Southeastern Arizona. As a member of the Runnin’ Apaches, Caha was responsible for working with and developing the post players and served as the recruiting coordinator. Caha also was in charge of study hall and was the strength and conditioning coach. In Caha’s four years, the Runnin’ Apaches had an overall record of 87-39, won one ACCAC Championship (2006), won three NJCAA Academic Team of the Year Awards (2005, 2006, 2007), had seven players move on to the NCAA Division I level. Caha also helped develop one First Team NJCAA All American and 10 All Conference members.
Caha also served as an assistant coach at his alma-mater Wayland Baptist University in Plainview, Texas. His responsibilities included working with post players, scouting, and coordinating the Pioneer Championship Camps. In his last season at Wayland, Caha helped lead the Pioneers to a 22-9 record and was 15th NAIA Division I national poll.
From 1997 to 1999, Caha played at Cochise College. As a sophomore, the team finished 24-8, setting a school record for wins. After Cochise, he transferred to Wayland Baptist where he played from 2000-2002. As a senior he was named All-Sooner Athletic Conference honorable mention. The Pioneers finished the season ranked 25th in the nation, won 20 games for the first time in 10 years and made its first NAIA national tournament appearance since 1992.
Photo Courtesy TAMIU Athletics
Tagged with: DII Heartland Conference
