(Story Courtesy of Southwestern University Sports Information Department)
GEORGETOWN, Texas - After a nationwide search for the next head coach of the Southwestern University Women's Basketball program, the Pirates have found their next leader.
Caitlin Kriesel-Bigler, a native of Austin, Texas and a graduate of Anderson High School, returns to the Central Texas area to lead the Southwestern University squad. Kriesel-Bigler was recruited out of high school to play basketball at Hendrix College, where she was a stand-out guard for the Warriors, amassing almost 1,400 points in her career with 319 rebounds and 445 assists. At Hendrix, she earned WBCA Honorable Mention All-American Honors, D3Hoops.com National Team of the Week twice, and was named to four SAA All-Conference teams. She was a two-sport athlete for the Warriors as a member of both the women's basketball and women's lacrosse teams.
After graduating from Hendrix, Kriesel-Bigler earned her master's degree in Pedagogy and Psychological Science from LSU in 2019 while also assisting the Tigers women's basketball program.
Serving four assistant coaching positions in her career, Kriesel-Bigler comes to Georgetown, Texas, after serving as the assistant coach of DIII Randolph-Macon College in 2022-2023. Kriesel-Bigler helped the Yellow Jackets to a 19-7 record (15-3 Conf.) and a second-seed ODAC Conference Tournament appearance. Coach Kriesel-Bigler will take over a Southwestern program that went 9-15 (6-10 conf.) and missed the SCAC tournament in 2022-2023.
"We are thrilled Coach Kriesel-Bigler will be taking over the leadership of our Women's Basketball program. Her experiences as a coach with several strong institutions, her appreciation for the residential liberal arts environment, and her roots in Central Texas make her an outstanding choice to lead our team. She also possesses a vibrant personality, outstanding basketball IQ, and a strong competitive streak which we believe will help bring our program to new heights. We are excited to welcome Caitlin to the Pirate family, " Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Ken Ralph says.
"I am extremely honored and excited to be named the next Head Women's Basketball Coach at Southwestern University. I am thrilled to return to my home state of Texas and join the Georgetown community. I would like to thank Ken Ralph and the entire Southwestern Administration for trusting me with this incredible opportunity. I look forward to leading the Women's Basketball program, building a culture of excellence, and creating a top-tier experience for our student-athletes," says Coach Kriesel-Bigler.
