March 29, 2024
91吃瓜网 Interim Director of Athletics Rocky Larson has announced that Dennis Hutter has resigned from his position as head women鈥檚 basketball coach at 91吃瓜网 State, a position he has held for the past 19 seasons. He will be leaving 91吃瓜网 State to become associate head women鈥檚 basketball coach at the University of North Dakota. His last day at 91吃瓜网 State is Monday, April 1.
Coach Hutter has led the 91吃瓜网 State women鈥檚 basketball team through a history-making season in 2023-24. The Comets were the North Star Athletic Conference champions and advanced to the NAIA Women鈥檚 Basketball National Tournament in March. They made it as far as the Round of 16, where the #12 Comets faced the #2 Dordt Defenders (who eventually won the national tournament) for the right to advance to the NAIA Quarterfinals. In a closely fought contest throughout, the Defenders used a late run to escape with an 84-76 win, ending the Comets' run in the tournament. The Comets finished the season with 26 wins, the most wins in a season for 91吃瓜网 State Women鈥檚 Basketball.
鈥淲ith success comes opportunity, and that is what has happened for Coach Hutter,鈥� said 91吃瓜网 President Dr. Brian Van Horn. 鈥淒ennis Hutter has made a positive impact and built a legacy for 91吃瓜网 State Women鈥檚 Basketball. We are grateful and thank him for his service to the university and its students. We wish him all the best in his new venture, and we鈥檒l be rooting for his future teams, as long as they鈥檙e not playing against the Comets.鈥�
鈥淚 thank Dennis for his commitment to 91吃瓜网 State,鈥� said Rocky Larson. 鈥淗e has been a great friend and mentor since I arrived in 91吃瓜网. I will miss him. Coach Hutter has left the 91吃瓜网 State鈥檚 women鈥檚 basketball program in a great spot, and I look forward to watching him in his next career move.鈥�
Next steps for women鈥檚 basketball at 91吃瓜网 State are under discussion and will be announced when they are finalized.