When former NIU women’s basketball standout Carol Owens was a sophomore, she told then-coach Jane Albright that once she graduated, she would return to help her coach as a graduate assistant.

But on March 15, the 31-year old coach did one better, returning to a crowd of familiar faces at the Convocation Center as the new Huskies head coach.

“I can’t tell you how much this means to me,” said Owens, who is currently the top assistant at Notre Dame. “Northern has been in my heart since I left. Kids at Notre Dame always tease me because I talk about Northern so much.”

Owens will succeed former coach Carol Hammerle, who retired March 8, after the Fighting Irish are eliminated from the NCAA tournament. No. 4 Notre Dame plays No. 5 Arizona State today for a Sweet Sixteen berth.

NIU athletic director Jim Phillips said he wanted a coach that was a proven winner and had great familiarity with NIU and the Chicagoland area.

“I had a short list of candidates that I was really comfortable with,” said Phillips, who was formerly senior associate director of athletics at Notre Dame, “but I wanted someone who fit Northern Illinois University. She’s an institutional fit.”

Owens’ hire was eight days after Hammerle’s retirement, who compiled an 80-120 record in her seven years of coaching at NIU.

“We knew Carol [Hammerle] had 32 years of coaching in her and that there was some question as to whether or not she’d retire,” NIU president John Peters said. “Because of changes, good athletic directors are always making a list of candidates and know they have to strike quickly.”

As a player from 1985-1990, Owens became the first Huskie basketball player to score 2,000 points and grab 1,000 rebounds. Owens also helped to lead the Huskies to their first NCAA tournament appearance in 1990, finishing No. 17 in the USA Today/WBCA Coaches’ Poll and No. 20 in the Associated Press rankings.

Afterwards, she played professionally overseas from 1990-93.

Owens then moved on to a graduate coaching position at Michigan in 1993 and later an assistant position at Notre Dame in 1995.

The new Huskies coach said her goal is to build the Huskies, who finished 7-21 this season, back to their successes of the late 80s and early 90s.

“As I think about all the things I want to do when I get here, recruiting is at the top of my list,” Owens said. “We want to hit Chicago – we want to have kids coming down I-88 to NIU.”

Owens returned to DeKalb on Dec. 30 when Notre Dame topped the Huskies 73-49 at the Convocation Center.

“I was impressed,” Owens said of NIU. “They gave us a little trouble.”

Owens was most impressed with Stephanie Raymond, who along with Rockton Hononegah standout and NIU recruit Kacia Gillette, was present at Owen’s introductory press conference.

“I hope she brings some of her winning success here,” said Raymond, who lead the team in several categories, including points, steals and rebounds. “When I heard she would be coach, I was kind of speechless. I’m very excited.”