McNeese Formally Introduces Ashton Feldhaus as New Women’s Basketball Coach
Lake Charles, Louisiana - It may be a new era of Cowgirl basketball, but the standard remains the same. Wednesday, inside Townsley Arena, McNeese formally introduced Ashton Feldhaus as the next Women's Basketball coach.
At just 30 years old, Feldhaus is already in her second role as a Division I head coach and understands the opportunity in front of her.
“I’m very fortunate to be sitting here,” Feldhaus said. “I understand I’m only 30 years old, but I wouldn’t be here if I hadn’t done a lot of winning. This is my dream job, and I work tirelessly every single day.”
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Ashton Feldhaus comes from a deep-rooted Kentucky basketball family, with connections to legendary coaches Adolph Rupp and Rick Pitino. Her grandfather spent 27 years coaching high school basketball, and her family also includes Deron Feldhaus, part of Kentucky’s famed “Unforgettables.”
Basketball has always been a part of her life. Both of her parents have also coached at the high school level for a combined 40 years, making the sport a true family tradition.
“It’s all I’ve ever known,” Feldhaus said. “I don’t know my life without basketball.
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She just finished her first, and only, season at Morehead State University, where she led the team to an 18-15 record. Before she got there, the team had struggled, going 25-35 over the two years before.
In her first season, Feldhaus led Morehead State to 13 conference wins, tying a school record for a first-year coach. The team also picked up four big wins against Top 100 teams.
Before that, she coached at Missouri Western State University, where she led the team to 20 wins and a spot in the NCAA Division II Tournament. At just 30 years old, she became the youngest head coach in Division I.
She also spent five years at Eckerd College, helping the team reach the NCAA Tournament every year.
Now, she takes over a McNeese team that had a great year under former coach Ayla Guzzardo. The Cowgirls made their first postseason trip since 2016. Feldhaus says she’s excited about the challenge.
“I think it’s exciting because you see that it can be done,” she said. “It’s not just a one-time thing. We can keep it going.”
Roster building is now her top priority. Feldhaus said McNeese will return several key players, including Carley Hamilton, Averi Berry, and Jasslyn Walter, who redshirted last season.
“We had to just re-recruit them all over,” Feldhaus said. “They know the place, but we just had to sell ourselves, and they bought in immediately. We’re so happy to have them.”
She also confirmed she is bringing in two players from Sweden and expects to add seven or eight more in the coming weeks.
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