With NIU women’s basketball coach Carol Hammerle’s retirement, the Huskies are left waiting for their new leader.

The search for the eighth women’s head coach in modern NIU history will begin immediately, NIU Athletics Director Jim Phillips said, but no deadline was set.

“We will search as long as it takes us to get the right person,” Phillips said. “We will be looking for someone that best fits the institution and what the program means to the area.”

Phillips added that he has not yet come up with a list of candidates and any rumors of a replacement are just speculation.

For now, the team will be mostly on it’s own when it comes to off-season work outs and conditioning.

“We will just continue our individual work outs and work with the assistant coaches,” sophomore forward Kristin Wiener said. “We will just continue to do what we would do if coach Hammerle was still here.”

As well as the current players, Hammerle’s departure could also affect incoming recruits.

Several players have already committed to NIU, but that could change with the loss of the head coach.

“In the end, I hope the student-athletes who have signed will honor their commitment to the university,” Phillips said. “I also understand that kids don’t only make their decision based on the school.”

There is also the possibility of players transferring, but sophomore Stephanie Raymond is confident that all of her teammates will stay put.

“I don’t think that anyone will transfer,” Raymond said. “I’m more worried about the incoming freshman not coming than that.”

As for the team’s new coach, Wiener is confident the right person will be picked.

“Mr. Phillips will do a nice job of looking for the best coach for the players and the best for the school,” she said.