A rivalry shocker: EKU hires new head coach away from archrival Morehead State
In a surprising twist, Eastern Kentucky University has hired Greg Todd away from archrival Morehead State to become the Colonels’ new head women’s basketball coach.
“At every step in our process, Greg Todd rose to the top as the ideal coach to lead us at this exciting time,” EKU Athletics Director Matt Roan said in an Eastern Kentucky University news release. ““He’s a coach who has dedicated his entire coaching career to women’s basketball, has experienced amazing success with each program he’s led, has a wealth of experience and understands the landscape, and knows our state incredibly well.”
MSU and EKU are fierce rivals. It is unusual to see a head coach go directly from one rival to another.
But Todd is an EKU alumnus and Madison County native.
“(Todd’s) love for his alma mater and desire to build a championship-contending program here are unmatched,” Roan said in the EKU release. “He comes highly recommended from all corners of Kentucky and beyond, and those folks speak not only to his ability as a coach, but also to his quality as an individual.”
A charter member of the Ohio Valley Conference, Eastern Kentucky is leaving the OVC at the conclusion of the current school year and will compete in the ASUN Conference beginning in 2021-22.
Since Morehead is remaining in the OVC, it is unclear if Todd will coach against his former team next year.
“Being from Madison County, I am so excited to come home and get the women’s basketball program to the top of the ASUN Conference as quickly as possible,” Todd said in the Eastern release. “I am excited about being able to build a bigger fan base with my local connections around the community.”
In a Morehead State news release, Eagles Athletics Director Jaime Gordon said, “We are extremely grateful for the way Coach Todd led the women’s basketball program for the past seven years. We wish him good luck in his new endeavor. We will begin a national search immediately to find our next women’s basketball head coach.”
Todd has spent his entire coaching career inside the commonwealth of Kentucky.
He began his head coaching career in Madison County at Berea High School. In seven seasons (166-54), he led Berea to 20 wins every year. Prior to that, the school had never had a 20-win season. In 1998, Todd coached Berea to the girls’ state tournament semifinals.
Todd’s greatest success came while leading the girls’ basketball program at Lexington Catholic High School (1999-2006). He directed the Knights to three state championships (2001, 2005 and 2006).
In 2017, Todd’s achievements as a high school head coach were recognized with induction into the Kentucky High School Basketball Hall of Fame.
Todd parlayed his winning ways at Lexington Catholic into the head coaching job at NCAA Division III Transylvania University. Over eight seasons (2006-14), he led the Pioneers to four conference titles and three D-III NCAA Tournament appearances.
Morehead State made Todd a Division I head coach in 2015. In seven seasons helming the Eagles program, Todd produced three 20-win seasons and two trips to the WNIT.
In the second of those WNIT appearances, in 2019, Morehead State upset Ohio State of the Big Ten.
EKU will host a reception and press conference to introduce Todd on Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. at McBrayer Arena. Fans and media attending are asked to observe social distancing and masks requirements.
Eastern went 9-15 last season, 8-12 in the OVC, under second-year head coach Samantha Williams. A former Louisville assistant, Williams resigned after last season to accept a job on the staff of Tennessee head coach Kelly Harper.
Morehead State went 7-16, 6-13 in the OVC in 2020-21.
Via the EKU release, Todd said his first priority will be re-recruiting the incumbent players already on the Colonels roster.
“I am looking forward to re-recruiting and building a strong relationship with the players already on campus,” Todd said.
