CMU women's basketball head coach Kristin Haynie agrees to contract extension
The extension makes Haynie the coach until the 2028-29 season
Central Michigan women’s basketball head coach Kristin Haynie signals to a CMU basketball player at Rocket Arena in Cleveland, Ohio, on Wednesday, March 12, 2025. Haynie is in her second year at CMU, and her club made the Mid-American Conference championship for the first time since 2021. (CM-Life | Mark Hoover)
After improving Central Michigan women’s basketball to its best record since the 2020-21 season, Zyzelewski Family Vice President/Director of Athletics Amy Folan announced in a press release Tuesday that head coach Kristin Haynie has agreed to a two-year contract extension.
The extension will run through the 2028-29 season.
“Under her vision and leadership, Kristin continues to build our program to be a leader in the Mid-American Conference,” Folan said. “In her third season here, she has elevated the trajectory of our program. As a Michigan girl that learned basketball here, played in the national championship game, and won a WNBA Championship, Kristin has combined all her experiences, knowledge, work ethic, and skills into building a program that all Chippewas can be proud of under her leadership.”
The extension comes as the program has seen steady growth throughout Haynie’s two-plus seasons in charge. In her first season in 2023-24, the Chippewas won six games. Last season, Central Michigan won 14 games and punched its ticket to the Mid-American Conference Tournament for the first time since the 2020-21 season.
The Chippewas currently sit with a 16-8 overall record and a 10-3 conference record, enough for fourth place in the MAC. With five games remaining in the regular season, Central Michigan already has the best record it has seen since that 2020-21 season, when the team won 18 games and the MAC Tournament.
On Saturday, Haynie’s squad earned their second consecutive conference tournament berth after besting their rivals, Western Michigan.
“Thank you to President Neil MacKinnon, the Board of Trustees, and Director of Athletics Amy Folan for continuing to believe in our vision,” Haynie said in the press release. “I’m excited to keep growing this program in a way that represents Central Michigan University at the highest level. I’m grateful for the support and trust of our administration, staff, players and community. Together, we’re building this program back to a championship level.”
Haynie brought with her to CMU a wealth of both playing and coaching experience. Haynie played college hoops at Michigan State where she became the all-time leader in career steals (346), was second in assists (574) and 17th in points scored (1,199) before graduating in 2005.
Haynie also played in the Women’s National Basketball Association and won a championship with the Sacramento Monarchs.
Before becoming the head coach at CMU, Haynie held assistant coaching positions at both the professional and college level, including with Michigan State, Eastern Michigan and even a stint with the Chippewas between 2014-17 under Sue Guevara.
Central Michigan takes on Miami (OH) next in a clash against two of the top teams in the conference. The game is scheduled for Wednesday at 7 p.m.
