Halie Sawyer was named assistant women's basketball coach at North Dakota State University in July 2013.
"Adding Halie (Sawyer) to our program will be an easy transition for us. I had the opportunity to coach Halie early in her career,” said head women's basketball Carolyn DeHoff, who is preparing for her sixth season at North Dakota State.
“The things we loved about her as a player are the same things that drew us to wanting her to be a part of our program. She is a proven winner and will leave an impact on our players. Halie loves to teach the game and is meant to coach.”
Sawyer was a former player at the University of Utah when NDSU head coach DeHoff served as an assistant and associate head coach under Elaine Elliott. A of member of back-to-back Mountain West Conference regular season and tournament championship teams, Sawyer was named to the MWC all-Defensive team her senior year.
In 2012-13, Sawyer was an assistant women’s basketball coach at Defiance College located in northwest Ohio. Her responsibilities included recruiting, scouting, video exchange, player development, coordinating travel, assistant camp director and mentoring student-athletes.
Sawyer organized and directed the AAU Utah Diamondbacks program in southern Utah from 2010-12, where she gained experience and had success in the recruitment, development and mentoring of young women.
After graduating from Utah in 2010 with a bachelor’s degree in communications and journalism, Sawyer took her basketball talents overseas to play professionally in Germany for the Herne Turner Club in 2011.
Upon returning from Germany, Sawyer was an assistant coach the Salt Lake City Slam Basketball team in 2010-11. She also served as an assistant with the Salt Lake Metro from 2007-10.
The native of Panguitch, Utah, led her high school to three Class 1A state basketball championships. Sawyer was a two-time Class 1A MVP in basketball and earned the honor in volleyball. She was also a two-time all-state performer in track and field.
