University of Southern Indiana Athletics

(Updated April 3, 2024) Head Coach Rick Stein '92 has been at the helm of the University of Southern Indiana Women's Basketball program for 25 seasons. Stein is 448-261 (.632) in his 25 seasons as the head coach of the Screaming Eagles.

In 33 seasons as an assistant coach and head coach for USI Women's Basketball, he has had a hand in 607 of the program's 755 victories (80.4 percent of USI's all-time wins).

Stein coached USI to a historical, championship season in 2023-24, the program's second year at the NCAA Division I level. The Screaming Eagles captured their first-ever Ohio Valley Conference regular season and tournament titles, which were the first OVC team championships in USI Athletics history. Southern Indiana won the 2023-24 OVC regular season championship by six games, earning the No. 1 seed in the OVC Championship Tournament. The Screaming Eagles defeated Eastern Illinois University and the University of Tennessee at Martin toward winning the tournament title. At the end of the 2023-24 regular season, Stein was named OVC Coach of the Year. By winning the Ohio Valley Conference, Southern Indiana made its first-ever appearance in the Women's National Invitation Tournament (WNIT), advancing to the second round. Not only did USI host its first WNIT game but also won its WNIT debut against the University of Illinois Chicago. Stein led USI to 25 overall wins, the most for the Screaming Eagles since 2017-18, and a 17-1 Ohio Valley Conference regular season record. The 17 regular-season conference wins were the most for USI since 2000-01 in the Great Lakes Valley Conference. The Screaming Eagles were only the fifth women’s basketball team in OVC history to win at least 17 games in the conference season. Plus, Southern Indiana’s 17-1 OVC record was a team best by winning percentage in conference play since 1997-98 (17-1). USI also had its best start to a conference season since 1996-97, as the Screaming Eagles began the 2023-24 OVC campaign with nine consecutive victories. Stein guided Southern Indiana to winning 22 of its last 25 games in 2023-24, which included two separate winning streaks of 10 or more victories during the season, a team best since 2017-18. Before the end of the 2023-24 regular season, USI received its first-ever ranking in the CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top 25 poll, checking in at No. 22. Under Stein, USI ranked first in the OVC and top 50 in the nation in field goal percentage, field goal percentage defense, three-point percentage, and three-point defense. During the season, Stein coached Southern Indiana to its 750th win in program history.

In a historic first season for USI in the Ohio Valley Conference and as an NCAA Division I program in 2022-23, Stein guided the Screaming Eagles to 12 wins overall, including the program's first six wins in the Ohio Valley Conference. As the bench boss of the Screaming Eagles, Stein led an experienced squad that ranked among the best in the OVC and in the nation in free throw percentage and turnovers forced. Plus, the 2022-23 Screaming Eagles were among the best in the OVC in rebounding under Stein.

Stein had his squad primed for the transition after the Eagles captured the 2021-22 Great Lakes Valley Conference regular-season title. USI went 23-6 overall, 16-2 in league play, won the GLVC East Division for the fourth consecutive season, earned the No. 1 seed in the GLVC Tournament and advanced to the NCAA Division II Tournament for the 12th time in program history a year ago.

Stein became the program's all-time leader in wins when he recorded his 160th career victory, surpassing former Head Coach Chancellor Dugan, in USI's 80-75 win over Wayne State University December 29, 2008.

The three-time GLVC Coach of the Year (2001, 2017 and 2018) has been a major factor in five GLVC conference championships, three GLVC Tournament titles, all 12 of USI's NCAA II Tournament appearances, and two NCAA II Elite Eight appearances.

COVID-19 played a big role in keeping Stein's squad out of the NCAA II Tournament in 2020-21 as his team was unable to compete in the GLVC Tournament despite winning the GLVC East Division and landing the No. 3 seed in the conference's post-season. The Eagles finished 2020-21 with an 11-5 record, all of which were league games.

Stein's performance on the bench during the 2019-20 season was arguably one of the best of his career as he, along with his staff, molded a young group of student-athletes into a top contender in the GLVC.

After losing three All-GLVC players from his previous team along with more than 65 percent of the scoring output and nearly 75 percent of the rebounding totals, Stein successfully guided his 2019-20 squad through one of the toughest schedules in the nation to an 18-9 overall record and a 14-6 mark in league play. The Eagles were rewarded with the No. 2 seed in the GLVC Tournament along with a berth in the NCAA II Midwest Region Tournament.

Despite reaching the 20-win plateau for the third straight year and the fourth time in the last five seasons, Stein's Eagles just missed out their second straight trip to the national tournament after finishing 20-9 overall and 13-5 in GLVC play in 2018-19.

Stein, who earned GLVC Coach of the Year accolades for the second straight year, led his squad to a 26-5 overall record and its second straight GLVC East Division crown with a 16-2 league record in 2017-18. USI advanced to the championship game of the GLVC Tournament and qualified for the NCAA II Tournament for the second time in four years and the 10th time program history.

Despite leading the Eagles to a 24-5 overall record and a 16-2 mark in GLVC play in 2016-17, USI missed out on its 10th trip to the NCAA II Tournament. Stein, who was named the GLVC Coach of the Year for the second time in his career, led the Eagles to the 2017 GLVC East Division title and became the first basketball coach in USI history to eclipse the 300-win plateau.

After losing more than 65 percent of USI's scoring and rebounding totals from the previous season, Stein led a young Eagles' squad to a 14-13 overall record and a 7-11 mark in GLVC play in 2015-16.

In 2014-15, Stein led the Eagles to a 25-7 overall record, 15-3 in GLVC play, and their first trip to the NCAA II Tournament in five years. His squad, which advanced to the GLVC Tournament title game for the first time since 2002, came within three points of the program's sixth conference championship and finished second in the GLVC East Division before earning its ninth NCAA post-season bid.

Stein directed the Eagles to a 19-9 overall record, 12-6 in GLVC play, and their first post-season win in 10 years in 2013-14. Playing in a conference that featured six NCAA II Tournament teams in 2013-14, the Eagles finished third in the GLVC East Division and were just one win shy of a second-place finish.

After a tough rebuilding year six years ago, Stein directed the Eagles to a 17-10 overall record and a 9-9 mark in GLVC play in 2012-13. The Eagles were 9-17 overall and 3-15 in 2011-12.

Stein directed the Eagles to the 2011 GLVC East Division crown after leading USI back to the NCAA II Tournament in 2010.

In 2010-11, Stein's Eagles finished the season with a 16-11 overall mark and a 12-6 record in GLVC play as they captured their first GLVC regular-season championship since 2001. He also became the first coach in the program's history to eclipse the 200-win plateau when his squad defeated eventual GLVC Tournament champion Lewis University during the regular season.

In 2009-10, Stein’s squad finished 22-9 overall, 13-5 GLVC, and hosted a first and second-round GLVC Tournament cluster. In his 11th year at the helm of the Eagles, Stein directed USI to a 7-1 mark against the GLVC East Division, a division that produced three NCAA II Tournament squads. His Eagles advanced to the NCAA II Tournament for the first time since 2004 and the eighth time in the program’s history.

The 2008-09 squad finished 14-13 (6-11 GLVC) and was just one win shy of qualifying for the league's post-season tournament, despite having just three upperclassmen on the roster.

The 2007-08 Eagles were one of the most competitive groups in the GLVC despite their 10-17 overall mark and 5-14 record in league play. His team held second-half leads in nearly every contest in a league that featured six NCAA II Tournament teams and the 2008 national champions.

In 2006-07, Stein guided the Eagles to a 16-12 overall record, 10-9 in the GLVC, and back to the GLVC Tournament. His squad also earned a victory over eventual NCAA II Great Lakes Region champion Drury University.

The 2005-06 season saw Stein lead the Eagles to a 15-15 overall record, 7-12 in the GLVC, despite losing nearly 70 percent of his team's offensive output and nearly 80 percent of his squad's rebounding output from the previous season.

His squad battled through multiple injuries to post a 14-14 overall record, 7-13 in the GLVC, and qualified for the GLVC Tournament in 2004-05.

In 2003-04, Stein led the Eagles to the program's seventh 20-win season, posting a 20-10 mark and a 12-8 record in the GLVC. His Eagles returned to the NCAA II Tournament for the seventh time in the program's history.

Despite a rough 2002-03 campaign, Stein and his coaching staff brought in a strong recruiting class that set the stage for a return to national competitiveness. In 2003-04, USI had the sixth-best turnaround in Division II, with USI improving by 12 wins from the previous year.

In 2002-03, Stein and the Eagles were forced into a rebuilding year after losing five seniors and more than 60 points and 25 rebounds per game from the 2001-02 squad. With only one returning starter, Stein and his staff had a young team competing for a spot in the GLVC Tournament late in the season and finished the year with an 8-19 overall record.

The 2001-02 season saw Stein's Eagles post a 27-6 overall record, 16-4 GLVC, win a second straight GLVC Championship, and appear in the NCAA II Great Lakes Region Tournament for the second straight season. Stein also led the Eagles into the national spotlight with his squad being ranked nationally for 37 consecutive weeks between December 2000 and December 2002.

In just his second season at the helm, Stein led USI to a 28-4 record and the biggest season-to-season turnaround in school history (+13 wins). Stein, who earned GLVC Coach of the Year honors, directed the Eagles to the GLVC Championship, GLVC Tournament Championship, an NCAA II Tournament appearance, and an appearance in the NCAA II Elite Eight for the second time in the program's history. The 2000-01 team was inducted into the USI Athletics Hall of Fame in 2023.

Stein went 15-12 overall in 1999-00, tying the record for most victories for a rookie head coach and setting the record for best winning percentage for a rookie coach (.556).

A member of the WBCA, Stein is a 1992 USI graduate with a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration. He joined the Eagles' program in 1991-92 as a student assistant under former Head Coach Chancellor Dugan. He was promoted to head assistant coach in 1994 and promptly helped Dugan and the Eagles to their best season as a varsity sport at USI.

In his eight seasons as an assistant, Stein helped Dugan amass a 159-73 record with four straight NCAA II Tournament appearances (1994-95 to 1997-98) and three GLVC titles. The Eagles were the NCAA II Tournament finalist and produced the first perfect season in GLVC history (20-0) in 1997.

A native of Crete, Illinois, Stein was a two-year starter on USI's men’s basketball team from 1989-91. During his tenure as a player, Stein helped USI to an appearance in the NCAA II South Central Region Tournament in 1989-90 and a win over Division I University of Wisconsin in 1990-91. Before joining USI’s team, he played basketball at Parkland College in Champaign, Illinois, and earned an associate degree. Parkland finished as the NJCAA Division II runner-up in 1988 and fourth nationally in 1989.

Stein and his wife Kari have a son, Alex, and a daughter, Mallorie.

RICK STEIN AT USI