The Muskingum University Athletic Department has announced the hiring of Erin Eaton as head coach of women's basketball.
Eaton arrives in New Concord after serving one year as an assistant coach at Catholic University. At Catholic, Eaton helped lead the Cardinals to the Landmark Conference Tournament and developed the first freshman to lead the team in scoring and earn all-league honors since 2008. She also mentored 10 Landmark Conference Academic Honor Roll selections and was involved in all aspects of managing and running an NCAA Division III program with a focus on recruiting and player development.
Before Catholic, Eaton was an assistant coach at Baldwin Wallace University for the 2017-18 season. While there, the Yellow Jackets finished 12th nationally in the 2017-18 NCAA Division III WBCA Academic Top 25 Honor Roll and Eaton helped secure a top-flight recruiting class that was highlighted by the OAC Freshman of the Year.
Prior to her time in Berea, Eaton served as the head women's basketball coach and the assistant athletic director/senior woman administrator at the University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg for seven years. Under Eaton's direction, the Bobcats made five consecutive Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference playoff appearances (2011-2016), which included a trip to the 2015 AMCC Championship. Eaton recruited and developed the program's all-time leader in three-point shots made, the first Bobcat to score 1,000 points and dish out 400 assists, and coached 12 All-AMCC honorees. The Bobcats also excelled in the classroom where they finished third in the nation during the 2016-17 campaign in the NCAA Division III WBCA Academic Top 25 Honor Roll.
"I'm excited to have Erin Eaton join the Muskingum athletic family," said Muskingum Vice President and Athletic Director Steve Brockelbank. "Erin brings a wealth of experience in building competitive teams on the court and in the classroom. Her successful track record of being a head coach made her stand out in our search. I'm looking forward to Erin developing Muskingum into a contender in the Ohio Athletic Conference."
"I want to thank Vice President and Athletic Director Steve Brockelbank and the entire search committee for the tremendous amount of belief they have in me as both a person and as a coach," said Eaton. "Working here at Muskingum University is a once in a lifetime opportunity, and I am unbelievably honored. From the first time I spoke with the committee, I was energized and inspired by the pride they took in both the University and the goals of the athletic department. I look forward to working alongside the young women in our program as we produce a product that will make the entire Muskie community proud."
Eaton also spent two seasons as the assistant women's basketball coach at NCAA Division II Pitt-Johnstown. She mentored four All-West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference performers, two WVIAC All-Freshman Team honorees, and two All-WVIAC Tournament Team selections. In addition to her responsibilities as a basketball coach, Eaton also served as head cross country coach where she recruited the program's first All-WVIAC performer in school history.
From 2005-08, Eaton was the assistant women's basketball coach at Bethany College. During her time with the program, she coached 10 All-Presidents' Athletic Conference players, two ESPN the Magazine Academic All-District II selections, one Great Lakes All-Region honoree and a finalist for the V Foundation Comeback Award.
"The only thing higher than my excitement about the journey our program is about to go on, is the work ethic we will showcase as we renew our commitment to academic excellence, athletic success and community service," said Eaton. "We will focus on the daily pursuit of improvement as we help build a program that can compete in one of the most well-respected conferences in all of Division III athletics."
Eaton graduated Summa Cum Laude with a B.A. in childhood education from Elmira College in 2005. She was a captain and three-year starter for the Soaring Eagles at point guard, where she currently stands fourth all-time in career assists with 251 and eighth all-time in career three-point field goals made (102). Eaton was also 24th in the nation in NCAA Division III for free throw percentage (84%). A native of Sebring, Ohio, Eaton was a two-sport standout and an All-Ohio performer on the hardwood at Sebring McKinley High School. She was inducted into SHS's Athletic Hall of Fame in December 2013. Eaton earned her master's degree in athletic coaching education from West Virginia University in 2008.