Just before the college basketball season, this Kentucky school suddenly changed coaches
Earlier this year, with the new college basketball season on the horizon, one Kentucky school abruptly, and quietly, decided to change head coaches.
Cayla Petree spent the last three seasons as the head coach of the Morehead State women’s basketball program. From the outside looking in, there was nothing to suggest that Petree wouldn’t again be leading the Eagles for the 2024-25 season.
But on Oct. 21, Morehead State’s annual team media day didn’t include Petree. Instead, the event began with Morehead State athletics director Kelly Wells delivering a statement.
“Morehead State University is committed to following appropriate procedures and we ask for your understanding as we work through this process,” Wells said to open the live streamed event. “We are unable to comment further on personnel matters at this time. Our focus remains on supporting our student athletes and ensuring the success of this program. We will share updates as appropriate, but we will not be taking questions today on personnel matters.”
This was the closest thing to a formal announcement from Morehead State that Petree was no longer the Eagles’ head coach after three seasons on the job.
During that team media day, Chris Palmer represented Morehead State’s coaching staff when speaking to the media. Palmer is now listed online by Morehead State as the program’s interim head coach.
Neither Palmer, nor the Morehead State players who spoke at the team’s media day, were asked about Petree’s departure following Wells’ opening statement.
When MSU announced its nonconference schedule on Sept. 12, the news release included a quote from Petree. But between then and the Oct. 21 media day, nothing was released by the school — either on social media or in a news release — that referenced a head coaching change.
In a Nov. 19 social media video featuring Wells that was posted by Morehead State, Wells introduced the men’s and women’s basketball coaching staffs at the school, again with no mention of Petree or her departure.
Safe to say, the coaching change from Petree to Palmer — who was hired at MSU as an assistant coach in June — wasn’t well publicized.
So why did Morehead State move on from Petree — formerly a top junior college coach who went 27-62 (30.3%), but showed continued improvement, in her three seasons with the Eagles — and what is known about her departure from the school?
Morehead State comments on women’s basketball coaching change
Last month, the Herald-Leader contacted Wells and members of Morehead State’s athletics communication department regarding the women’s basketball coaching change.
The Herald-Leader was then contacted by Rick Hesterberg, the vice president of university advancement at Morehead State, who provided a statement.
“After a change in athletics leadership and through mutual conversations over the past months, the university and Coach Petree have mutually agreed to part ways,” the Morehead State statement said. “While Coach Petree has consistently received positive employment evaluations the decision was made to move the program in a different direction and the university and Coach Petree wish to avoid, to the extent possible, disruption to the program. The university wishes Coach Petree the best in her future coaching endeavors, which are sure to be fulfilling and successful.”
Petree was hired as Morehead State’s head coach in June 2021, when the Morehead State athletic department was led by former AD Jaime Gordon. In June 2023, Gordon left his role at Morehead State to become the executive director of the American Volleyball Coaches Association. Gordon was previously the longtime volleyball coach at Morehead State.
Wells, a 1995 graduate of Morehead State, then took over as the school’s athletics director after previously being the AD at the University of Pikeville. Wells played basketball at Morehead State and his father, Mickey Wells, is the all-time winningest women’s basketball coach in the school’s history.
This season, under Palmer’s direction, Morehead State is off to a 4-5 start with Division I wins over USC-Upstate and Jackson State.
Cayla Petree discusses departure from Morehead State
The Herald-Leader contacted Petree over social media to learn more about the coaching change at Morehead State.
Last week, Petree provided the Herald-Leader with a statement.
“I had a great experience at Morehead State. Jaime Gordon believed in me and gave me a chance to coach Division I basketball. I will forever be grateful for that. I also coached some incredible young women along the way that I still have regular contact with,” the statement read. “My first year was a challenge to say the least, but we had the best turnaround in the country by win percentage in year two. We had some big wins and were a game out of second place last year. Everyone in the program bought into our ‘Continuous Growth’ mindset and that’s exactly what we did.”
“The program improved every year and is trending upward,” Petree’s statement continued. “I expect that to continue under Coach Palmer and (assistant coach Vladimir Shtam’s) leadership. Kate Novik and Aileen Marquez are two of the best players in the OVC and the team has depth and talent. I think they will be very competitive in conference play. I am back in Texas with my family and doing some advance scouting and postgame analytic work for a couple of teams. Who knows what the future holds, but I do know it will be in college basketball. I love it and it is what I am called to do. I have tremendous faith in God’s plan for me and I know that it is good. I am excited for the future. I wish nothing but the best for Morehead State and all the people there. I am happy that it was a small part of my journey.”
The on-court improvements experienced by Morehead State that Petree referenced in her statement were undeniable.
In her first season at MSU, Petree’s team went 1-27 during the 2021-22 season, followed by an 11-20 record in the 2022-23 season and a 15-15 mark last season. That was the most wins by a Morehead State women’s basketball team since the 2018-19 season.
Last season’s Morehead State team won a home game against Marshall, which went on to win the Sun Belt Conference Tournament and qualify for the NCAA Tournament. Former Marshall head coach Kim Caldwell is now the head coach at Tennessee, and former Transylvania coach Juli Fulks is now the head coach at Marshall.
According to The Next, a women’s basketball publication, nine players transferred out of the Morehead State program during the offseason, prior to Petree’s departure.
Those players were Skylar Barnes (Southeast Missouri State), Mikaela Hall (Saint Leo), Hannah Hicks (West Georgia), Blessing King (Marshall), Hallie Rhodes (San Diego), Jayden Rhodes (San Diego), Valentina Saric (Jacksonville State), Melissa Secchiaroli (Cal State Bakesfield) and Matilda Soderlund (Missouri Western State).
On Oct. 24, three days after the team’s media day, the Herald-Leader obtained a copy of Petree’s contract with Morehead State via the Kentucky Open Records Act.
According to that contract, Petree’s deal with the school was to run through the 2024-25 season. Petree was to be paid $96,000 a year as Morehead State’s head coach, in addition to potential bonuses that could be earned through academic and athletic achievements.
