Rachel Erickson has been named an assistant women’s basketball coach at the University of Sioux Falls, according to announcement today by USF Head Coach Travis Traphagen.
Erickson, who served as a graduate assistant for the Black Hills State Women’s Basketball Team (17-11, 14-8 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference, for Head Coach Mark Nore) during 2019-20, replaces Carley Jeffery, who took a position as an assistant women’s basketball coach at Presentation College. Erickson began her duties at USF on Monday, Oct. 5.
“I look forward to working with Rachel (Erickson), who has great work ethic, a warm personality and a lot of energy,” said Traphagen, USF’s career wins leader (243-117) whose 2019-20 team captured the program’s first NSIC South Division title and earned its second NCAA DII regional berth a year ago. “I believe Rachel is an outstanding recruiter, who has the ability to connect and build relationships with student-athletes, and families. She is a great addition to our staff and the University,” he said.
Erickson, who is originally of Cheyenne, Wyo., looks forward to the opportunity to work with USF Women’s Basketball.
“I am extremely thankful and excited to continue in my coaching career at the USF. I look forward to working alongside Coach (Travis) Traphagen and Coach (Shawn) Bergan to help in adding to this already successful and respected program. I could not be happier to join the Cougar Family,” she said.
A multisport athlete at BHSU (soccer, women’s basketball), Erickson played on the basketball team from 2014-2018, and also was a soccer standout in 2018 for the Yellow Jackets.
Erickson was named All-Rocky Mountain Conference in basketball her junior (10.2 ppg, 2.3 rpg) and senior (12.1 ppg, 2.6 rpg) seasons at BHSU and appeared in two national tournaments. She helped lead the Yellow Jackets to a pair of 20-win seasons, which included 24-8 (16-6, RMAC) in 2017-18. BHSU was 69-45 during her four years with the women’s basketball team. At BHSU, Erickson accumulated 922 career points, made100 three pointers, and dished 171 assists in 108 games with 53 starts.
A standout prep athlete before playing at BHSU, Erickson was a two-time all-state selection and led her high school basketball team to the state championship in both her junior and senior seasons. She was also named Gatorade Player of the Year for soccer in her junior and senior seasons at Cheyenne East High School. In soccer, she was second team all-state as a freshman and first team all-state three times.
Erickson graduated from BHSU with a Bachelor’s Degree in Science Education in 2018. She is working towards a master’s degree in Strategic Leadership from BHSU.
