Kayla Karius to lead Phoenix women’s basketball
By Tori Wittenbrock
Associate Sports Editor
GREEN BAY – The UW-Green Bay Athletic Department has recently named former Phoenix Kayla Karius as the new head coach of the Phoenix women’s basketball team.
“Kayla epitomized the Green Bay way as a player, and she is a rising star as a coach. She will take this program to even greater heights. It’s so special for our team to be able to be led by someone who has been in their shoes and believes to her core of the power of Green Bay basketball,” said Athletic Director Josh Moon.
After a career that spanned more than four decades with a record of 821-316 (.722), Phoenix women’s basketball Head Coach Kevin Borseth, 69, has left big shoes to fill for the future of the program amid his retirement — a legacy Moon believes will be carried on by Karius.
Karius will assume the title of the fourth head coach in UW-Green Bay women’s basketball history.
“I’m thrilled to be returning to my alma mater and honored to be only the fourth head coach of Green Bay women’s basketball,” said Karius.
A Sheboygan native, Karius has deep ties to the Green Bay community as a former player from 207-11 — though she was then known as Kayla Tetschlag.
A well-known name on the Phoenix campus, Karius was inducted into the Green Bay Athletics Hall of Fame in 2023 and is a part of the 1,000 point club.
During her career as a college athlete, Karius earned four Horizon League titles with the team and appeared in three NCAA Tournaments.
Her senior year (2011), Karius was named the Horizon League Player of the Year.
In addition to playing at the Division I collegiate level, Karius has experience playing professionally overseas in Belgium, Luxembourg and Germany from 2011-15 after graduating from UW-Green Bay with a bachelor’s degree in business administration with a marketing emphasis.
“This is the premier women’s basketball program in our state and is located in one of the most innovative and booming communities. I look forward to carrying on a strong tradition of championships on the court and excellence in the classroom,” said Karius.
Karius has extensive experience coaching at the collegiate level as a recruiting coordinator and assistant coach at Sioux Falls, South Dakota, Wisconsin and Drake.
She eventually led the program at Wisconsin from 2020-21 as the associate head coach and became the head coach of South Dakota from 2022-24.
In her most recent stint with the University of South Dakota, Karius held back-to-back winning seasons with a record of 23-13 in the Summit League her final season.
Karius enters the program at UW-Green Bay with the full support of the Green Bay community.
“How exciting to bring Kayla back home. Her coaching experience coupled with her familiarity and love for our program are going to serve her well at Green Bay. I’m excited about the future of Green Bay Women’s Basketball,” said Former Green Bay Phoenix Head Coach Kevin Borseth.