A native of Sheboygan, Wisconsin, Kayla Karius enters her third year with the Badgers, her first as an associate head coach and recruiting coordinator, working primarily with wing players.
“I’m thrilled for the opportunity to join Coach Tsipis and his staff in my home state,” said Karius. “I look forward to using my past experiences as a player and coach to help this program continue to build and progress. I believe in Coach Tsipis’ values and vision, and I’m excited for the future of Wisconsin women’s basketball”
In her first year with the Badgers, Karius aided senior Marsha Howard to second-team All-Big Ten honors while freshman Imani Lewis earned honorable mention accolades.
Karius (formerly Tetschlag), who received a 2018 Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) Thirty Under 30 award, came to Wisconsin after two years as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at the University of South Dakota. She was in charge of USD’s team defense and assisted with game preparation in addition to her player development duties.
“Kayla is a rising star in the coaching profession who has strong ties in the Midwest, especially in Wisconsin,” UW Head Coach Jonathan Tsipis said. “She had a tremendous playing career in high school in Sheboygan, followed that with NCAA Sweet 16 experience at Green Bay, and continued success playing overseas.
“Kayla has been an integral part of a championship culture on every level. She will be a great mentor to our players, has worked under great basketball minds and has tremendous pride in her home state. We are excited to welcome her home and cannot wait for the opportunity to work with her.”
In her two seasons at South Dakota, the Coyotes were 52-16, winning the 2017-18 regular season Summit League championship and competing in back-to-back Women’s National Invitation Tournaments (WNIT). USD advanced to the quarterfinals of the WNIT last season and to the second round in 2016-17.
Karius assisted in coaching six all-conference players for the Coyotes, including first-team All-Summit League players, a Summit League Defensive Player of the Year and Sixth Woman of the Year award winner.
Prior to South Dakota, Karius was the top assistant and recruiting coordinator at the University of Sioux Falls for one season. The Cougars won the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Tournament in 2015-16, advancing to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in program history.
Karius spent four years abroad playing professional basketball in Europe. Her stops included Germany, Luxembourg and Belgium. She earned several awards, including the Luxembourg Defensive Player of the Year and the All-German League Forward of the Year. Through her professional career, she averaged a double-double and consistently ranked among her respective league’s top-three players in points and rebounds.
Karius was named the Horizon League Co-Player of the Year in 2011 for the Green Bay Phoenix. As a senior, she received the Horizon League Cecil N. Colman Medal of Honor, the league’s most prestigious individual honor for outstanding achievement in academics, athletics and extracurricular activities.
Karius led Green Bay to four Horizon League titles, three NCAA Tournaments, including the Sweet 16 in 2011. She was twice named first-team all-league, made the all-defensive team as a senior and was named the Sixth Player of the Year as a sophomore.
An excellent student, Karius earned CoSIDA Academic All-America honors as a senior while earning all-district honors as a junior and senior. She was a Horizon League Academic Honor Roll selection and was named the 2011 Division I-AAA Scholar-Athlete of the Year presented by the Division I-AAA Athletics Directors Association
Karius graduated from Green Bay in 2011 with a bachelor’s degree in business administration with a marketing emphasis.
As a prep, Karius earned all-state honors by the Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association and Milwaukee Journal Sentinel at Sheboygan North High School. She was named the MVP of the 2007 Wisconsin state tournament, aiding the Raiders to a state runner-up finish.
Karius celebrated her wedding to Rick Karius in May of 2019.
