Lindenwood names Amy Eagan as new head coach of women’s basketball team

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Photo by Jessica Spivey

Devin Fuhring (right) looks to drive past a Truman State defender during a home game against the Bulldogs on Jan. 22, 2022. The Lions fell 57-47 in the game.

Joshua Calloni, Sports Editor

After letting go of former coach Katie Falco last week, Lindenwood University has hired a new women’s basketball coach, Amy Eagan.

Falco was let go on March 16 after five years at Lindenwood, coaching to a 64-66 record, including 2-24 in the most recent 2022-23 season. No reason was given for the separation from Falco.

Eagan has coached 14 different seasons at the collegiate level, carrying a career record of 274-151 over that time, and has claimed five different conference titles in that time. She began her coaching career at St. Ambrose University in Iowa. She was nominated Coach of the Year for the Midwest Collegiate Conference in 2007 while there, in just her second year as a head coach. Over her time at the college, she coached the team to a combined record of 48-17. She then moved on to Ashford, another university in Iowa, for three seasons, coaching to a combined record of 28-63.

“Someone posted online, she’s a great person before she’s a great coach,” VP of Athletics Jason Coomer said in the introductory press conference.

Eagan then moved on to coaching Truman State for six seasons, perhaps the most successful stop of her career. Coaching from 2013 to 2019, the Bulldogs went a combined 111-62. She also led the college to two NCAA Tournament appearances, and the Great Lakes Valley Conference in her first year at the helm. She was inducted into the school’s Hall of Fame, as she holds the record for the most wins as a coach for the team all time.

“From my first contact with Dr. Porter and Mr. Coomer, it was very apparent that there is a commitment to excellence, a commitment to winning, and a commitment to the student-athletes and their graduation,” Eagan said via press release. “Words cannot express my sincere gratitude and excitement to lead this program into this new era. I am committed to ensuring that these young women are champions on the floor, in the community, and in the classroom.”

Her most recent stint as coach at Drury University was extremely successful as well, as she guided the team to a combined record of 87-9 over three seasons. The Panthers won the GLVC conference all three years she coached them and appeared in the NCAA tournament each season. In 2021, she was named WBCA NCAA D-II coach of the year, the same season the Panthers were runner-up nationally. Again this past season, Eagan won coach of the year and saw four of her players get nominated to the all-GLVC team. Through her time at Drury, she oversaw 13 of her players getting nominated for that honor.

“We will play fast, we will play hard, and we will cause chaos for our opponents. We will play a style of basketball that is not only entertaining to watch but brings honor to the game of basketball,” Eagan said in her introductory press conference.

Eagan also played college basketball in her own right, setting many records at Truman State, where she would end up coaching years later. When she left the school, she did so as the all-time leader in assists, steals, and steals per game, and ranked fourth all-time in points with 1527. During the 1998-99 season, she set an all-time record for single points in a game at the school with 45. After her collegiate career, she played professionally in Norway for one season.

Though no official game date has been set, Eagan will receive full control of the team effective immediately, in preparation for the 2023-24 season that will begin in early November.