(Ames, IA) — Iowa State women’s basketball head coach Bill Fennelly has announced the addition of Caroline McCombs as associate head coach. McCombs will begin her role with the Cyclones immediately.
Fennelly praised McCombs’ experience and reputation across the sport. “I am very excited to add Caroline McCombs to our staff,” Fennelly said. “I’ve known her for years and have tremendous respect for what she’s accomplished. She’s one of the hardest workers in the profession and among the best recruiters in the game. Her ability to build strong relationships makes this a major addition to our program.”
McCombs most recently served as an assistant coach at Auburn during the 2025–26 season, where she helped guide the Tigers to a win over No. 21 Alabama and an SEC Tournament victory against Texas A&M.
Prior to Auburn, McCombs spent four seasons as head coach at George Washington, compiling 55 wins while rebuilding the program. Under her leadership, the team reached the Atlantic 10 Tournament quarterfinals twice and set a program record for fewest points allowed in a season during her first year. She also coached standout Mayowa Taiwo, who finished third in school history in career rebounds, along with All-Conference selections including Nya Robertson.
Before her time at George Washington, McCombs spent seven seasons as head coach at Stony Brook, where she became the program’s winningest Division I coach. She led the Seawolves to their first NCAA Tournament appearance in 2021 and earned America East Coach of the Year honors in 2020. That same season, Stony Brook posted a 28-3 record and won 22 consecutive games before the postseason was canceled.
McCombs also brings 15 years of Division I assistant coaching experience, with stops at Auburn, Northwestern, Pittsburgh, and Valparaiso. During that span, she helped teams reach five NCAA Tournaments, including two Sweet 16 appearances, and played a role in developing multiple All-Americans and WNBA players.
A native of Medina, Ohio, McCombs was a standout player at Youngstown State, where she scored 1,577 career points and started 112 games. She earned All-Conference honors twice and remains among the program’s leaders in assists, steals, and three-pointers. Following her collegiate career, she played professionally in Europe before beginning her coaching career.
McCombs has been inducted into both the Medina County Sports Hall of Fame and the Youngstown State Athletics Hall of Fame.
