Utah State Aggies women's basketball explained

Utah State Aggies women's basketball
Women:yes
Current:2023–24 Utah State Aggies women's basketball team
University:Utah State University
Conference:Mountain West
Location:Logan, Utah
Coach:Wesley Brooks
Tenure:1st
Arena:Smith Spectrum
Capacity:10,270
Nickname:Aggies
Studentsection:The Hurd
H Body:0F2439
H Pattern B:_thinsidesonwhite
H Shorts:0F2439
H Pattern S:_blanksides2
A Body:0F2439
A Pattern B:_thinwhitesides
A Shorts:0F2439
A Pattern S:_whitesides
3 Pattern B:_thinnavysides
3 Body:9D968D
3 Shorts:9D968D
3 Pattern S:_navysides
Aiawtourneys:1972, 1973, 1974, 1975

The Utah State Aggies are a Division I women's college basketball team that plays in the Mountain West Conference, representing Utah State University. They play their home games at the Smith Spectrum.[1]

History

The Aggies started play in 1972. They made the AIAW First Round in their first three years and the regionals in 1982, but they won only 18 games in the last five years of the program's first run in basketball. The women's team was shuttered from 1988 to 2002. Utah State played in the Intermountain Athletic Conference from 1973 to 1982, played as an Independent from 1982 to 1984, the High Country Athletic Conference from 1984 to 1987, the Big West Conference from 2003 to 2005, and the Western Athletic Conference from 2006 to 2013 before joining the Mountain West Conference in 2014.

The Aggies have made appearances in the WNIT in 2011 and 2012, as well as the three appearances in WBI tournaments.[2] The Aggies have never won a conference title, and as a result have never qualified for the NCAA Division I women's basketball tournament.

In November 2019, Jerry Finkbeiner, in his eight season as head coach of the Aggies, stepped down for medical reasons. His three postseason tournament appearances are the most among Aggies head coaches all-time.[3]

In March 2020, Southeastern Louisiana alum Kayla Ard was named as head coach. Under Ard, the Aggies amassed four consecutive losing seasons, including 26 losses in 2022–23, which is tied for the most losses by any Utah State women's basketball team in program history. [4] Ard herself announced she was fired during the press conference of the 2024 Mountain West tournament game, following another 25-loss season.

1972–7317–3 n/a Fern Gardner
1973–7412–2 8–0 Fern Gardner
1974–7514–6 10–3 Fern Gardner
1975–7612–9 10–3 Fern Gardner
1976–7712–12 9–4 Marilyn Weiss
1977–789–14 8–5 Marilyn Weiss
1978–7914–10 5–8 Cindy Perkins
1979–8013–15 5–5 Cindy Perkins
1980–8112–19 5–5 Cindy Perkins
1981–8212–20 6–4 Cindy Perkins
1982–833–22 n/a Karen Logan
1983–842–23 n/a Karen Logan
1984–859–19 3–9 Bob Corbin
1985–863 - 25 0–12 Bob Corbin
1986–871–26 0–12 Lloydene Searle
2003–045–22 5–13 (10th) Raegan Pebley
2004–0514–14 9–9 (6th) Raegan Pebley
2005–063–24 2–14 (9th) Raegan Pebley
2006–0711–18 7–9 (6th) Raegan Pebley
2007–089–20 5–11 (7th) Raegan Pebley
2008–0916–15 9–7 (5th) Raegan Pebley
2009–1013–17 5–11 (7th) Raegan Pebley
2010–1118–15 10–6 (3rd) Raegan Pebley
2011–1221–10 11–3 (2nd) Raegan Pebley
2012–1318–14 14–4 (2nd) Jerry Finkbeiner
2013–1415–16 8–10 (8th) Jerry Finkbeiner
2014–158–23 5–13 (10th) Jerry Finkbeiner
2015–1614–17 8–10 (7th) Jerry Finkbeiner
2016–1717–159–9 (6th)Jerry Finkbeiner
2017–187–235–13 (T-8th)Jerry Finkbeiner
2018–1917–1610–9 (T-5th)Jerry Finkbeiner
2019–208–232–16 (11th)Ben Finkbeiner(interim)
2020–214–202–16 (10th)Kayla Ard
2021–2211–195–13 (9th)Kayla Ard
2022–234–261–17 (11th)Kayla Ard

Postseason

WNIT

The Aggies have appeared in two WNIT tournaments. Their combined record is 1–2.

2011––––First RoundSecond RoundArizonaBYUW 103–95L 102–63
2012––––First RoundUtahL 69–58

WBI

The Aggies have appeared in three Women's Basketball Invitational tournaments. Their combined record is 1–3.

2013
  1. 3
First RoundSouth DakotaL 77–69
2017––––First RoundIdahoL 64–59
2019––––First RoundQuarterfinalsUC RiversideNorth TexasW 68–60L 56–54

AIAW Division I

The Aggies made four appearances in the AIAW National Division I basketball tournament, with a combined record of 1–8.

1972First Round
Consolation First Round
Consolation Second Round
West Chester State
Washington State
Queens (NY)
L, 45–79
W, 40–37
L, 57–65
1973First Round
Consolation First Round
Stephen F. Austin
UC Riverside
L, 48–53
L, 41–47
1974First Round
Consolation First Round
William Penn
Illinois State
L, 34–54
L, 46–74
1975First Round
Consolation First Round
Tennessee Tech
Federal City
L, 45–91
L, 34–89

Notes and References

  1. Web site: utahstateaggies.com – Utah State Official Athletic Site – Women's Basketball. www.utahstateaggies.com.
  2. Web site: Utah State 2021–22 Women's Basketball Media Guide . May 6, 2022 . Utah State University.
  3. Web site: Jerry Finkbeiner steps down as Utah State’s women’s basketball coach due to health issue. The Salt Lake Tribune. en-US. 2019-11-27.
  4. https://utahstateaggies.com/news/2020/3/23/kayla-ard-named-utah-state-head-womens-basketball-coach.aspx Kayla Ard Named Utah State Head Women's Basketball Coach