The Hana Haden era officially begins at Georgia Southwestern

Haden was introduced as the team's third women's head basketball coach on Monday

AMERICUS, GA – “I can’t wait to witness the atmosphere in the Storm Dome in November.”

Those words were met with thunderous applause inside Georgia Southwestern’s media room Monday afternoon as Hana Haden was introduced as the team’s third women’s head basketball coach in Hurricanes history.

Haden was announced as the head coach in early April after four-year coach Justin Payne took the same position at Nicholls University. Payne had a successful last two years where he coached the Lady Canes to a Peach Belt conference championship, and back-to-back Division II tournament runs.

Haden looks to not only carry her success over from Moberly Area Community College – where she went 118-36 with two JUCO Coach of the Year awards – but pick up right where Payne left off.

“He laid a tremendous foundation here,” Haden said. “He was able to go out and recruit athletes by saying ‘we were just in the Sweet 16 and Peach Belt champions. So we have to continue to recruit high-caliber players.”