JOURNAL SPORTS
LSU Shreveport will have a new women’s basketball coach next season.
Following two highly successful seasons with an overall 55-12 record including 43-3 in conference games, Tim Hays has accepted an NCAA Division I head coaching position at Charleston Southern, which plays in the Big South Conference.
Hays exits after guiding LSUS to a 28-5 overall record in 2025-26, including a 20-2 mark in Red River Athletic Conference play, an RRAC regular season championship, and a trip to the NAIA Women’s Basketball National Tournament.
“I would like to thank Tim and (wife and assistant coach) Crista for their time here and the impact they made on our women’s basketball program,” said LSUS athletics director Lucas Morgan. “We wish them success at Charleston Southern.”
LSU Shreveport closed its season in the NAIA Women’s Basketball Tournament Second Round, falling to No. 4 seed Campbellsville, 66-59. The Pilots advanced to the Round of 16 and finished the year among the top teams in the nation after remaining in the national rankings conversation throughout the season.
In his first season, Hays led LSUS to a 27-4 overall record and a dominant 23-1 conference mark, clinching back-to-back RRAC regular season and conference tournament titles while finishing the season ranked No. 25 nationally. The Pilots averaged 72.2 points per game while holding opponents to just 53.5 points, along with 14.9 steals and 3.1 blocks per game. Five players earned All-RRAC honors, Erynn Williams was named RRAC Defensive Player of the Year, and Hays earned his first RRAC Coach of the Year honor.
That success carried into the 2025-26 season, where LSUS again averaged 72.0 points per game while increasing its defensive production to 15.4 steals and 4.0 blocks per contest, limiting opponents to 56.2 points per game. Five Pilots were named All-RRAC, with Toni Coleman earning RRAC Newcomer of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year honors. Selma Markisic was the RRAC Player of the Year and received NAIA second team All-American honors, and LSWA All-Louisiana second team distinction.
The 2025-26 roster featured a balanced and experienced group that translated into consistent production across the board. Markisic led the Pilots with 17.7 points per game, while Coleman added 12.4 points per game and led the nation with 143 steals. Amandine L’Etang anchored the defense with 83 blocks, ranking among the national leaders, and contributed 6.6 rebounds per game.