UMKC hires former Shocker guard, K-State assistant Jacie Hoyt as women’s coach

UMKC hired Jacie Hoyt as its new women’s basketball coach on Thursday.

Hoyt arrives at UMKC after spending three years as an assistant at Kansas State under coach Jeff Mittie. Before that, she served as an assistant for Nevada and as a graduate assistant at Fort Hays State.

At age 29, she will be one of the nation’s youngest coaches. She was recently named to the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association’s “30 Under 30” list.

“I believe that UMKC has all of the necessary resources to build a championship women’s basketball program,” Hoyt said. “It has always been a dream of mine to be a Division I head coach. The opportunity to get to do that in the same region I am from with the support of the UMKC administration feels like a dream come true. I knew from the minute I stepped foot on the beautiful campus and met with administration, support staff and players that it was a special place with special people. I knew I wanted to be a part of that.”

Hoyt has deep basketball ties throughout the Sunflower State. As a player, she starred at Hoxie High, Wichita State and Fort Hays State.

She scored 2,016 points in three Hoxie seasons after missing her freshman year with an injury.

At Wichita State, she started every game as a freshman and sophomore, leading the team in assists in her debut season and becoming a captain in her second. She left after her sophomore season, which was the first year under then-coach Jody Adams-Birch. Hoyt was unhappy playing for Adams and was one of four players who left the team.

She will look to Kansas and Missouri to help win at UMKC.

“I believe this region of the country to be the mecca of college basketball, and I know some of the most passionate sports fans in the country reside right here in Kansas City,” Hoyt said. “I look forward to connecting myself and our players with the fans and community to share our vision of what is yet to come for UMKC women’s basketball. I strive to continue a culture of excellence academically, athletically and socially for these young women.”

Hoyt replaces Marsha Frese at UMKC. The Kangaroos are coming off a 10-19 season.

At K-State, she helped the Wildcats reach the NCAA Tournament in each of the past two seasons.

“I want to congratulate Jacie on her new position as head women’s basketball coach at UMKC,” Mittie said. “She is a tireless worker, outstanding teacher and very driven to succeed. She has done a great job at K-State. I am excited to watch her grow the UMKC program into a winner.”

This story was originally published May 11, 2017 at 4:31 PM with the headline "UMKC hires former Shocker guard, K-State assistant Jacie Hoyt as women’s coach."