Ashton Feldhaus Named McNeese Women's Basketball Coach

30-year-old rising coach takes over Cowgirls program after one-season stint by predecessor Ayla Guzzardo.

Apr. 8, 2026 at 3:08pm

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McNeese has hired Ashton Feldhaus as its new women's basketball head coach, the university announced on Tuesday. Feldhaus, a 30-year-old Kentucky native, is coming off a successful first season as head coach at Morehead State, where she led the program to an 18-15 record and several conference wins. Prior to that, she was an assistant and associate head coach at Eckerd College, helping guide the program to five straight NCAA Tournament appearances.

Why it matters

The McNeese women's basketball program is looking to build on the momentum of last season, when Ayla Guzzardo led the Cowgirls to one of their best seasons in program history and a postseason appearance. Feldhaus, a rising young coach, will aim to continue that progress and establish a winning culture in Lake Charles.

The details

Feldhaus, who was named to the WBCA 30 Under 30 class, comes from a strong basketball pedigree. As a player, she starred at UT Martin, earning All-Ohio Valley Conference honors. Her family includes ties to legendary coaches Adolph Rupp and Rick Pitino. In her first season as a head coach at Morehead State, Feldhaus led the program to 13 conference wins, tying a program record for a first-year coach, while earning four NET Top 100 victories. Prior to that, she was the head coach at Division II Missouri Western, leading the Griffons to a 20-win season and an NCAA Tournament appearance.

  • Feldhaus was announced as the new McNeese women's basketball coach on April 8, 2026.
  • She is coming off her first season as head coach at Morehead State in 2025-26.

The players

Ashton Feldhaus

The 30-year-old Kentucky native is the new head coach of the McNeese women's basketball team. She previously served as head coach at Morehead State and Missouri Western.

Ayla Guzzardo

The previous head coach of the McNeese women's basketball team, who led the Cowgirls to one of their best seasons in program history in 2025-26 before departing after just one season.

Bridget Martin

The McNeese athletic director who led the search process to hire Feldhaus as the new women's basketball coach.

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What they’re saying

“I'm incredibly excited to be part of a place that has so much momentum and so many great things already happening. Coming off such a successful season, it's clear this program is built on a strong foundation, and I'm honored to help build on that success. I'm especially excited to be part of the community in Southwest Louisiana and to work alongside them as we continue striving to win championships and compete at the highest level.”

— Ashton Feldhaus, New McNeese Women's Basketball Coach

“We are excited to welcome Ashton to McNeese. The success she has achieved in a short amount of time as head coach is a testament not only to her knowledge of the game, but to her ability to establish a winning culture and meaningful relationships that extend beyond the basketball court.”

— Bridget Martin, McNeese Athletic Director

What’s next

Feldhaus will begin her tenure as McNeese's new women's basketball coach immediately, with the goal of building on the program's recent success and leading the Cowgirls to new heights.

The takeaway

McNeese has found an up-and-coming young coach in Ashton Feldhaus to take over its women's basketball program. With her strong pedigree and track record of quickly turning around struggling programs, Feldhaus will look to continue the Cowgirls' momentum and establish a winning culture in Lake Charles.