Heather Kearney is entering her second season as an associate head women's basketball coach at Coastal Carolina. Kearney works primarily with the Chanticleer defense.
In her first season with the Chants in 2015-16, Kearney coached the Coastal defense to national rankings of 16th in forced turnovers per game (20.6), 16th in steals per game (10.6) and 32nd in total steals (318). The Chanticleer defense led the Big South Conference in each of the three categories, while Nicole Isaacs, Ced Gibson and Jas Adams finished among the league's top 10 individuals in steals per game. As a team, Coastal limited its opponents to 61.4 points per game, and held opposing teams to 50 points or fewer seven times. Coastal was also one of the Big South's better rebounding teams, ranking in the top half of the conference in both offensive and defensive rebounds.
Prior to joining the Chanticleer coaching staff, Kearney served under Appalachian State head coach Darcie Vincent from 2009-2014. During that time, Kearney was the mastermind behind an aggressive, fast-paced Mountaineer offense that led the Southern Conference in scoring for three straight seasons while averaging over 70 points per game, scored 80 or more points in 24 contests and eclipsed the 70-point mark on 59 occasions.
Kearney's efforts with the Mountaineer offense also resulted in Appalachian State having at least one player rank among the SoCon's top-five scorers for four straight years, including the league's scoring champion in 2012-13. In each of her first four seasons at Appalachian State, at least three student-athletes coached by Kearney averaged double-figuring scoring.
Before her time at Appalachian State Kearney spent nine seasons at California (Pa.) University, serving as associate head coach and offensive coordinator from 2000-08 before taking over head coaching responsibilities for the 2008-09 season.
As the head of the program, Kearney led the Vulcans to an NCAA Elite Eight appearance after winning the NCAA Division II Atlantic Regional, and a final Division II national ranking No. 4. Cal U finished the 2008-09 season with a 29-5 overall record, including a spotless 17-0 mark on their home court, en route to a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West title and PSAC Coach of the Year honors for Kearney.
As an associate head coach at Cal U, Kearney helped the Vulcans to eight straight NCAA tournament appearances while capturing the NCAA Division II National Championship in 2004. Cal U also won seven PSAC West championships during that time.
Kearney played collegiately under Darcie Vincent at Slippery Rock University from 1995-99. She led The Rock to an NCAA Division II East ¬Regional Championship and was named a Kodak All-American. Kearney, who was named the PSAC West Rookie of the Year in 1996, closed her career as the school's all-time leading scorer while finishing second in career rebounds. Kearney was inducted into the Slippery Rock Hall of Fame in 2010.
A Harrisville, Pa. native, Kearney graduated from Slippery Rock in 1999 after earning her undergraduate degree in sport management. Kearney then completed a master's degree in counseling and education psychology from The Rock in 2003.
