A new era of Central Methodist University women’s basketball officially began Monday night when first-year head coach Dustyn Yung led the Lady Eagles past Haskell University 83-67 to open the 2024-25 season.

Yung made his return to CMU women’s basketball after serving as a student assistant from 2011-13. He was a part of the 2013 team that qualified for the first-ever NAIA Division I National Tournament in program history. After working in college and junior college programs, he spent the last three years closer to his hometown of Glasgow as the girls’ head coach at Battle High School in Columbia.

Yung called returning to the college level at his alma mater is a dream come true. He said moving to the college level from coaching high school is not such a huge transition. Battle finished with 18 wins against 10 losses in Class 6 last season.

“I don’t really think there’s much of an adjustment for me,” he said. “At Battle, we practiced with a shot clock. You’ll see a lot of familiar things that we did in high school up here. The biggest adjustment is recruiting.”

Yung started his new job with a nearly empty slate. One of 13 new varsity recruits this year includes a familiar player for Yung. Freshman Nautica Washington played at Battle HS last season. Yung said she is a versatile player who has the potential to score at all three levels.

Yung has been tasked with rebuilding the team after a disastrous last season that saw the suspension and then firing after 22 seasons of Mike Davis, the winningest head coach in the program’s history. Davis and the Eagles went 35-1 with a perfect 22-0 record in the Heart two years ago, before finishing last season 13-16 overall and 10-15 in the conference.

Coach Yung said he arrived to an empty roster and began recruiting on day one.

“We had to bring in 13 brand-new players. I was able to talk with a few returners about potentially coming back.

“It’s a complete rebuild, but we want to continue the winning culture.”

Three of those players did return to the CMU hardwood. One of whom is Alanna Crumley, a 5’9 senior forward from St. Peters, Mo., by way of Jefferson College. 

Now a team captain, Yung said Crumley embodies the team’s core values and is one of the hardest workers in the program. “She’s really been able to help establish our values and what we want in practice from day one. I’ve challenged her quite a bit and she’s taken on that role. I’m pretty happy with what she’s doing with our team within our locker room.”

Crumley said she and her teammates are excited to open a new chapter in the program’s lofty history. “Our team has a really big respect for Coach Yung. It’s a new year and everyone is new and trying to establish the identity of our program. We’re excited to get this season going.

“Coach Yung is a really great leader and we all look up to him. We understand that he wants what is best for us and he knows basketball really well.”

Another key returner is 5’9 senior guard Sharay Trotter. She is the team’s only double-digit scorer from a year ago, knocking down 10.9 points per game, to go along with 5.6 rebounds and 2.3 assists.

“It starts with her,” Yung said. “She’s super athletic and can sit down and defend. She can jump out of the room.”

Another big player on this year’s roster is Kayla Adams, a 5’8 senior guard from Minneapolis, Minn. She transferred from Georgia Southwestern State, which made an Elite 8 appearance in the NCAA Division II a year ago.

Yung actually recruited Adams to Moberly Area Community College, but left the year she began playing for the Lady Greyhounds.

“I’ve had a relationship with her for a long time,” Yung said. “I finally get to coach her. She can really fill it up from 3-point range. She can also defend. I’m excited about her.”

Crumley, Trotter, and Adams will help lead a cadre of fresh faces for Central. Key new players include former Battle standout Nautica Washington, sophomores S’Mya Stevens, Kaelyn Johnson, and Maliyah Miller. 

“We have a lot of people that I believe that can put the ball in the hole, can shoot it from a long distance, and I’m just super excited to get them all on the floor.”

Central got things rolling with Monday night’s double-digit win over Haskell in Yung’s debut as a college head coach.

“It’s exciting,” Yung said after the game. “I’m just proud of our kids.”

Central took a 10-point lead after one quarter, but allowed Haskell to come within two points at halftime. The Lady Eagles then outscored Haskell 26-10 in the third quarter to pull away.

“We were good in spurts. And we were bad in spurts,” Yung said. “We found a way in the second half to increase the lead and get out of their reach.”

With 13 of his 16 players new to the program, the team will take time to gel. But even with the somewhat uncoordinated nature of a new squad, the Eagles showed their scoring power, with five players finishing in double figures. Leading the way Sa’Maya Stevens with 16 points and 10 rebounds. She sank six of seven shots from the field.

“I thought for the most part, we did a really good job,” Yung said. “I wanted 20 assist tonight, we ended up with 15. We’re almost there. We just have to get better and that comes with practice.”

Kayhla Adams added 14 points after shooting 5-for-8 from the field. Tristan Porter scored 13 points, dished out six assists, and made three steals.

Mary Copeland added 12 points and 10 boards for the Eagles’ second double-double of the night.

“I thought she didn’t have a good first half, and in the second half she flipped a switch and ended up in double figures,” said Yung. “I’m super happy with her.”

Senior Sharay Trotter was one of three returners from last year. She finished with 10 points, four rebounds, two assists and a game-high five steals.

“I challenged her big time last week and she’s really stepped up in the last seven days and I’m really, really happy with her,” Young said about his returning senior. “She’s doing some great things for her team on and off the floor.”

Yung and the Eagles return to the court Saturday night to host Kansas Christian College. The Falcons were blown out in their season opener 88-34 at Baker University on Monday,

Tipoff Saturday is at 7 p.m. in Puckett Field House.