After 13 seasons at the helm of the Carleton women�s basketball program, Tammy Metcalf-Filzen announced she is retiring from her position as coach and associate professor effective June 30, the end of the current academic year.
The winningest coach in program history, she is stepping aside to devote more time and energy to her family. This past Saturday, she concluded her 15th season as a head coach and 13th at Carleton. Metcalf-Filzen owns a 252-148 career coaching mark, including a 226-122 mark at Carleton.
The Knights were 5-20 this season, their second consecutive year below .500.
The Knights won three consecutive regular-season Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference titles under Metcalf-Filzen�s guidance from 2002-05, including the school�s first outright crown in 2004-05. Carleton won five MIAC tournaments, including four consecutive from 2001-04 and another in 2007-08, resulting in the program�s five NCAA Tournament appearances.
�Given the nature of a prestigious institution like Carleton, the time and energy demands associated with coaching and recruiting present a significant challenge,� said Metcalf-Filzen. �It is especially challenging to balance those responsibilities with the needs of my large family, whom I cherish. I have loved coaching but have always known that if my family ever started to take a back seat to my career, it would be time to step away. That time has come.
�I am retiring from coaching and teaching with gratitude to Carleton for the opportunity to work with many outstanding faculty and staff over the years. More important, I so appreciate and admire the students and student-athletes with whom I have had the privilege to work. The joy and passion they have shared in the classroom and on the court has been an example to me, my children, and many others over the years."
During her time at Carleton, Metcalf-Filzen has guided the Knights to a .649 winning percentage, the best in school history. Prior to her arrival, the previous 24 seasons produced an overall program winning percentage of .310.