Emporia State introduces new women's basketball coach

EMPORIA (KSNT) - Emporia State women's basketball officially introduced the eighth head coach in program history on Tuesday. Brain Ostermann met fans, media and student-athletes at White Auditorium for an introductory press conference.

Ostermann spent the last nine years as an assistant coach at K-State under head coach Jeff Mittie. He now becomes a head coach for the Hornets.

"It's an honor and a privilege to be the new basketball coach for the Lady Hornets at Emporia State University. It's a true blessing," Ostermann said at the introductory press conference.

Despite K-State women's basketball having a great outlook in the upcoming season, Ostermann said he knew it was time for him to lead on his own, and the opportunity in Emporia was too good to pass up.

"You don't stay because of players and you don't leave because of players. You leave because of opportunity, and you leave because doors are open," Ostermann said. "And those doors are opened by God a lot of times."

A winning culture - like the Lady Hornets' 2010 National Championship - was part of his reason to go to Emporia.

"That seems like a long time ago, it's going happen again," Ostermann said of the championship. "And that's going be equally as fun as it was in 2010."

Ostermann began his coaching career in the MIAA at Northwest Missouri State - so he's no stranger to Division II basketball. He recognizes the excellence of Lady Hornet basketball in the 21st century.

"Quite honestly, if you throw out divisions, it's the best program in the state of Kansas over the past 25 years," Ostermann said.

K-State head basketball coach Jerome Tang rubbed off on Ostermann as to who he wants in his program. Tang emphasizes having "dudes" on his team, and Ostermann wants similar players.

“Make sure we have the right people on the team to make sure we make it to a championship end," Ostermann said about what he learned from Tang.

Ostermann says his gameplan is to shoot a lot of threes and play hard-nosed defense.

"Ladies, we're going to play some defense," Ostermann said. "But we are not going to be solely a man-to-man team, we'll mix in some fun zones. And we'll have some fun with it."