LAKE CHARLES – Ashton Feldhaus was officially introduced as the next McNeese Cowgirls basketball head coach in front of a packed Kleckley Room in the Townsley Law Arena.
 
Feldhaus comes to McNeese after spending the previous year at Morehead State where she turned a 10-win season prior to her arrival into 18 wins in her first and only year at the helm this past season.
 
"I am so excited to be here," said Feldhaus. "As soon as I stepped on campus, the feeling and the pride for athletics on this campus is astounding. I couldn't be happier to be here."
 
Feldhaus comes from a family with a rich and deep history of basketball whose parents have coached 40 years, her father in high school basketball and mother as a cheer coach.
 
"My sisters and I, growing up, we got the option to going to mom's gym or dad's gym," she said. "I know no other way than hard work, relentless, accountability, and they taught us how to treat people the right way. To invest everything you have into what you do and that's exactly what I plan to do here."
 
A member of the WBCA's 30 Under 30 Class, Feldhaus has already been reaching out to current players, signees, and future Cowgirls.
 
"This is my dream job. I work every single day, tirelessly," she said. "I think one of the best things about me being younger is our ability to adapt to all of the changing things. You adapt or die in this profession. This day and age you reload and that's what we're going to do."
 
Feldhaus announced that current Cowgirls, Carley Hamilton, Avari Berry and Jaslynn Walter will be returning.
 
"They were fantastic," said Feldhaus about her visits with the Cowgirls. "I got to know them. It happened really quickly. I spoke with their families. We just had to re-recruit them all over. They know the place. We just had to sell ourselves and they bought in immediately. We're so happy to have them."
 
Feldhaus mentioned she'll bring two players with her from her Morehead State team who she describes as "knockdown shooters." She said she has also been talking a lot with two of the freshmen signees.
 
"My staff and I are super energetic. We love what we do. Relationships do matter to us. We tell them (recruits) that. I can go get the best talent, that's not a problem. There are 2,000 kids in the portal. We can find the talent. But we want the right character players and we sell that. That's important to us. You have to be invested, two feet in, 10 toes down, this is the place you want to be. Then we sell ourselves. We sell family, we sell the people around us, this place (Townsley Law Arena) kinda sells itself, obviously. And then you have dollars and cents, and that's just the cherry on top."
 
Feldhaus will bring members of her staff from Morehead with her and will leave a spot open to fill, with the hope, with someone who is familiar with recruiting Louisiana.
 
"I have a ton of candidates. I think it's imperative being in this area. What's great about this place, people are flocking to this place. People want to be on staff and want to be a part of what is going on here. But it has to be the right fit for me and the program."
 
She went on to say the style of play will be high-tempo and an exciting brand of basketball to watch.
 
"We are and unselfish team. Ball moving, body moving. We play a fast paced. We shoot a ton of threes. Threes and layups are what we're going for. You can go find bigger, faster, stronger players to do all of that. That's the conversations we're in. I'm excited because players are wanting to come here. They see the success. They've heard of this place. I feel like we're ahead of the curve in recruiting."