Kim Stephens to lead Marshall women’s basketball

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) - A Division II National Champion has been chosen to lead Marshall’s women’s basketball program.

Marshall University Director of Athletics Christian Spears announced on Monday that Kim Stephens has signed a seven-year agreement, which has been approved by Marshall University’s Board of Governors.

The Parkersburg, W.Va. native called Marshall a ‘dream job.’

“Marshall has been my dream job for a long time and I am looking forward to continuing my career in my home state,” Stephens said. “Christian Spears and (Marshall President) Brad Smith are leading Marshall in the right direction and I am honored to be a part of it. I can’t wait to get to work.”

“We have something really special at Marshall and sometimes, you find people who recognize that instantly. Kim Stephens is one who recognized it instantly,” Spears said. “And, as an athletic director, sometimes you recognize that a coach has something really special – a persona, a system, a set of core values, a personality filled with innate qualities that you absolutely know will lead to success. That’s what we have in Coach Stephens.

“She will meet this opportunity at Marshall and she will build this program into a point of pride for our community, our region and for our state. We are honored to introduce Kim as the 8th head coach in Marshall women’s basketball history.”

Stephens comes to Marshall from Division II Glenville State, where she turned the Pioneers into a national power in her seven seasons, compiling a combined record of 191-24.

In 2022-23, Glenville State won the Mountain East Conference Tournament and advanced to the NCAA Division II Final Four, going 33-3 on the season before falling in the national semifinals to top-ranked Ashland.

It was the second straight 30-win season for Stephens after a run in 2021-22 that led Glenville State to its first-ever Division II National Championship as the team finished 35-1 and with a perfect 22-0 record in the Mountain East Conference.

Following that championship run in the 2021-22 season, Stephens was awarded the Pat Summitt Trophy after being named as the WBCA NCAA Division II National Coach of the Year. She also earned the 2022 Furfari Award, which is given to West Virginia’s College Coach of the Year by the West Virginia Sports Writers Association.

“Kim Stephens embodies everything we say when speaking about West Virginians doing great things on a national scale and beyond,” Marshall President Brad D. Smith said. “She turned Glenville State into a national power at the Division II level with an exciting, entertaining style and we could not be more thrilled to have her lead Marshall’s women’s basketball program into our future in the Sun Belt Conference. Her energy, passion and excellence are all attributes we know our Marshall fans will immediately embrace.”

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