LA GRANDE, Ore. -- Fighting back tears and emotion Head Coach Kaki Morehead informed her team that she was stepping down as head volleyball coach in order to move to Idaho with husband Shawn Morehead who runs the family ranch in Bruneau, Idaho which is located about an hour west of Boise.
“While this is one of the hardest decisions that I have made in my life it is a positive one for me and my family," Morehead said. "I will truly miss my girls and the EOU family that I have come to know and love for the last eight years. Thank you to all who have supported myself and EOU Volleyball over the years.”
A former All Conference player for EOU, Morehead led the Mountaineers to a third place finish this past season in conference play, and back to back appearances in the CCC post season tournament.
Morehead ends her career at Eastern Oregon with a record of 61-40 as a head coach. She leaves EOU with the second most wins in the program's history behind Sharon Campbell's 122 victories. Morehead leaves with the highest winning percentage in school history, .610.
“It was a tough decision for Kaki” EOU Director of Athletics, Rob Cashell said. "She has really been the heart and soul of EOU volleyball the last eight years as a standout player and as the head coach. I can’t thank her enough for what she has done in propelling this program to one of the best in the Cascade Conference, and doing it the right way with great student athletes and a tremendous work ethic.”
Cashell joked that he offered to play all of the Mountaineer home games in the Bruneau, Idaho gym if Morehead would stay on as coach.
“When you have a coach that good you look for anyway to keep them in your department," added Cashell. "In all seriousness, I respect her decision to move on to the next part of her life with a new marriage.”
A national search will begin immediately to find a replacement for Morehead.