On the morning of Tuesday, January 2, Indiana State Director of Athletic Sherard Clinkscales announced that Joey Wells has resigned as the head women’s basketball coach of the Sycamores. The announcement comes with the team on a seven-game losing streak and a record of 2-11 (0-2).
“After meeting with him this morning Joey Wells has submitted his resignation as head women’s basketball coach,” Clinkscales said. “The team’s competitive performance over the past three years and specifically its performance over the last year and half have not shown the progress that either Coach Wells or I had hoped. I appreciate the contributions he has made to this program during the last six years. He and his wife, Tina, are valued members of the Terre Haute community. I wish them all the best in their future endeavors.”
Wells compiled a record of 44-59 in his three plus seasons at the helm in Terre Haute after serving as an assistant on staff for two seasons prior to being named head coach. Josh Keister, who joined the program as an assistant in 2016, will serve as the interim head coach.
“Situations such as this are always challenging for all involved parties, especially our student-athletes,” Clinkscales added. “Thus, to ensure a smooth transition, I have appointed Assistant Coach Josh Keister as the interim head coach. Assistant coaches Janet Eaton and Evan Dodd will remain on the staff for the remainder of the season. I have already spoken to the team; they are well aware that 16 games and the MVC Tournament have yet to be played. They are eager to finish the conference season strong and make a push for the tournament championship.”
Clinkscale also announced that the school will begin an immediate search to find a new, permanent head coach.
“The search process will begin immediately,” stated Clinkscales. “Senior Associate Athletic Director Angie Lansing will lead the search committee that will recommend final candidates from which I will select our next head coach. I believe we will have a robust applicant pool based on the academic and athletic profile of Indiana State University, our membership in a competitive conference, the success we have had historically in women’s basketball and the strong community support for this program in particular.”
“My expectations for the next head women’s basketball coach are no different than they are for any of our coaches – to graduate leaders, compete yearly for the MVC Championship and qualify for the NCAA Tournament. While we have challenges like every other school, Power 5 institutions included, our history proves we can compete at a high level. As the athletic director, my charge is to grow revenue and provide resources for our teams, so that when our programs attain this high level of success, we can sustain it and build the resilient, winning culture our alumni, fans and community deserve.”