According to multiple sources, Cincinnati is set to hire current Western Kentucky head coach Michelle Clark-Heard to the same position. Clark-Heard recently finished her sixth season at Western Kentucky, her alma mater, and has posted a 154-47 record over her time at the helm of the Hilltoppers. Her team went to the NCAA tournament four times over her six seasons.
Clark-Heard came to Western Kentucky after a five season stop at Louisville as an assistant. Prior to that, she was the head coach at Kentucky State, an assistant at Cincinnati and an assistant at Nebraska. The highlight of her time at Cincinnati was helping the team to 23-8 record in 2002-03, the last time that the Bearcats have won more than 20 games.
In addition to her college experience, Clark-Heard was named an assistant coach for the 2015 U.S. Pan American Women’s Basketball team, helping the team earn a silver medal.
The 49-year-old Clark-Heard will take over a Cincinnati team that went 19-13 (10-6) last season, the best record for the program since that 2002-03 season that she was an assistant for.
Cincinnati fired former head coach Jamelle Elliot after she went 113-162 (46-104) over nine seasons in charge. The firing led to a lot of criticism, most notably from UConn head coach Geno Auriemma.
Positively disgraceful that Jamelle Elliott was let go at Cincinnati.Anyone interested in that job would be well advised to do their homework.
— Geno Auriemma (@GenoAjustsayin) March 22, 2018
Prior to Elliot taking over Cincinnati, she was an assistant under Geno for 11 seasons and played for the Huskies from 1993-1996.
Elliot and the team were forced to play in a local high school for all home games last season as their home arena was under renovation.
Western Kentucky have named Greg Collins as it’s new head coach. Collins has served as an assistant at Western Kentucky under Clark-Heard for the past six seasons.