Eric Simpson named Loyola head women's basketball coach

CHICAGO -- Loyola University Chicago has named Eric Simpson head women's basketball coach. Simpson becomes the seventh coach of the Loyola women's program, replacing Shannon Reidy, who guided the Ramblers for the previous four seasons.

"I am extremely excited and grateful to have the opportunity to lead the Loyola women's basketball program," said Simpson. "Having been educated at St. Ignatius and through some of my previous work experiences, I feel very comfortable working within the Jesuit structure that is in place here. I am very fortunate to be at a place with such supportive senior administrators and look forward to working with a group of successful and committed coaches within the Loyola family.

"This program has a group of talented, competitive and hard-working student-athletes that I have really come to know and respect and I am eager to work with them," continued Simpson. "I am also looking forward to continuing to build upon established relationships with both high school and AAU coaches in the Chicagoland area, the Midwest and beyond and will work tirelessly to help raise the bar for the Loyola program."

Simpson began his coaching career at the high school level, serving as an assistant coach at Loyola Academy from 1994-96 before moving on to his alma mater, St. Ignatius, where he served as head sophomore and assistant varsity coach from 1999-2001. He then moved on to Marquette Catholic High School in Michigan City, Ind., where he doubled as head boys basketball coach and athletic director from 2001-05.

He started his collegiate career in 2006, serving as the Director of Men's Basketball Operations at Loyola under head coach Jim Whitesell, before serving as an assistant with the Loyola women's basketball team for the previous two seasons.

"Eric brings many positives to our program and I am confident that he will be very successful as the head coach at Loyola," said Loyola Athletic Director John Planek. "First and foremost, he has a strong Jesuit background and understands the greater mission of the University and department. His experience as a four-year Division I basketball player at Northwestern gave him a glimpse into the world of collegiate athletics and he has cultivated that knowledge during his time at Loyola. Eric is familiar with the Horizon League and has many connections and contacts within the Chicagoland area that will help the advancement of our program."

Simpson graduated from Northwestern in 1994, where he was a four-year letterwinner for the Wildcats and teammates with current Loyola men's basketball assistant coach Pat Baldwin. He graduated from the Evanston institution with a Bachelor of Arts degree in History.

  

Release courtesy of Loyola Assistant SID Leo Krause