Emry Tsitouris was announced as the next head coach of the Bears women's basketball program in June of 2025. Tsitouris, the 14th coach in program history, joined LR following a transformational three-year tenure as the head coach at Mars Hill University, where she orchestrated one of the most impressive program rebuilds in the South Atlantic Conference.
In her first year at the helm coach Tsitouris led the Bears to one of the best seasons in program history and the team's first ever Southeast Regional Championship game appearance. Lenoir-Rhyne finished the 2025-26 campaign with a 26-6 (20-2 SAC) record and won the fifth SAC Regular Season championship in program history. Helped along by a program-record 19-game win streak, the Bears won 20 SAC games, a new program record. The Bears ranked second on the country in both free throws made and scoring offense and were 13th in scoring margin.
For her efforts coach Tsitouris was named the 2025-26 SAC Coach of the Year, the third coach in program history to earn the award. Aaliyah El was named to the All-SAC First Team and the D2CCA All-Region First Team. Abigail Brown became Lenoir-Rhyne's fourth SAC Freshman of the Year and joined El on the All-SAC First Team. Elyseia Brown was an All-SAC Third Team honoree while Ralee Bear was named to the All-Freshman Team.
Tsitouris came to Hickory after leading Mars Hill to a 17-12 overall record and a 14-10 SAC mark in 2024-25—the program's best season since 2010-11. A one-win team prior to her first season at the helm, she guided the Lions to a SAC Tournament berth for the first time since 2015-16 and was ranked in the Southeast Region D2 CSC poll for the first time in over a decade. Mars Hill led the league in rebound margin (+7.4) and offensive rebounds per game (14.9), while also setting program records for home wins (13-2) and made field goals in a single game (45). Nationally, Tsitouris was named D2 National Coach of the Week by WHoopDirt/FBPlayBook and guided the team to South Atlantic Conference Team of the Week honors for a third straight season.
Prior to Mars Hill, Tsitouris spent two seasons as an assistant coach at Catawba College, helping the program reach the NCAA Division II Semifinals and earn back-to-back national tournament appearances. She also served as a graduate assistant at Wingate University, contributing to an NCAA tournament run while developing multiple All-Conference players.
A former collegiate standout, Tsitouris began her playing career at USC Aiken—where she was named Peach Belt Freshman of the Year—before completing her career at Belmont Abbey as a Conference Carolinas All-Conference honoree. She holds a bachelor's degree in Organizational Communication and Management and a master's in Sport Management.
Emry Tsitouris Profile
- 2025-Present: Lenoir-Rhyne University - Head Coach
- 2022-2025: Mars Hill University - Head Coach
- 2020-2022: Catawba College - Assistant Coach
- 2018-2020: Wingate University - Graduate Assistant
- 2017-18: Belmont Abbey - Student-Athlete
- 2014-17: USC Aiken - Student-Athlete
