TWIN FALLS, Idaho — The College of Southern Idaho has a new women's basketball head coach for the first time in nearly 25 years.
Brendan Wheeler was introduced at a news conference as the new head coach of the CSI women's basketball team, taking over for retired head coach Randy Roger, who compiled a record of 589-186 during 24 years leading the program.
Watch: CSI has a new women's basketball coach for the first time in 25 years. Brendan Wheeler takes over after Randy Roger's historic run
Wheeler said he is aware of the legacy he is inheriting.
"I'm so grateful for Coach Roger and the tradition and example he set before me. There is a testament to a guy, or a job, that hasn't been available in almost a quarter of a century. That's for a reason. My job isn't to do anything different over here at CSI — just be the next chapter of what's coming for the Golden Eagles."
Wheeler described the position as a dream job and made clear that winning remains the expectation.
"Everyone who walks in here is expected to win. That is not going to change. The plan is to win. I want our ladies to step on the court knowing we're about to go get this W — it's going to take hard work, it's going to take sacrifice, but make no mistake — we're here to win."
CSI Athletic Director Daequon Montreal said Wheeler has already begun building on the program's foundation and expressed ambitions for the program's future.
"The goal is to continue this trajectory, with as much success as we've had. No discredit to anything that Randy's built — we want to take it to the next level. So our goal, and in my conversation with coach last night on the phone, was, 'Hey, I'd like to win a national championship in women's basketball.'"
A national championship is a goal Wheeler said he already had in mind.
"I've got some goals here — taking nothing away from Randy, he's done some great things, he's done awesome things, he's done some things that I could only hope and imagine to live up to — but there is that big one at the end: the national championship that I've definitely got my eyes on."
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