Sam Houston State women’s head basketball coach Erika Ritter resigned on Tuesday after posting a 54-108 record in six years as the LadyKats commander.
“I’ve enjoyed my 10 seasons at Sam Houston State and appreciate the opportunity of having been part of the women’s basketball program,” Ritter said in a statement released on Tuesday. “I have developed some wonderful relationships with past and present players and will miss the many friends I have made on the Sam Houston faculty as well as in the Huntsville community.”
Ritter served as an assistant coach for the LadyKats before taking over in 1998. Ritter led the Kats to three straight Southland Conference tournament appearances in her first three seasons as head coach.
In 1998 and 2000, the LadyKats finished fourth in the SLC, their highest conference season standing under Ritter’s tutelage.
The LadyKats finished the regular season this year with a 7-20 record and went 4-16 in conference play.
As an assistant, Ritter was part of the coaching staff that led the LadyKats to their highest SLC finish, coming in third in 1996.
“We appreciate everything she (Coach Ritter) has done for this program in the past,” Sam Houston State Director of Athletics Bobby Williams said. “We hope we can get the program headed in the right direction.”
Williams said that the search for a new coach is in its beginning stages.
“Right now we are in the organizational aspect of getting the search going and hopefully we can get the ball rolling from there.”