VERMILLION, S.D.—South Dakota women's basketball head coach Kayla Karius has announced the hiring of Liz Oswald as the program's director of basketball operations.
 
"I am so excited for Liz to join our staff here at USD!" said Karius. "She comes highly regarded from people I trust in this profession. She played collegiately for one of my best friends and college teammates at UW-Stout and is currently working on staff for my college coach at Eastern Illinois. She is organized, highly motivated and will be a great fit for our program! Welcome to Vermillion, Liz!"
 
Oswald spent the past two years as a graduate assistant coach for Eastern Illinois. Her duties with the Panthers included assisting in individual skill development workouts, planning team travel, organizing on-campus recruiting visits, assisting with managing team apparel, coordinating opponent film exchange and breaking down opponent game film. She was also the assistant coordinator for EIU's annual CARE Game that raised more than $16,000 for the immediate needs of local cancer patients.
 
"When I met USD's coaching staff, I could quickly see what a close knit group they are," said Oswald. "There is a high expectation level and a winning culture at USD and I look forward to adding to that. I am incredibly excited to join the women's basketball program at South Dakota!"
 
Prior to her time at Eastern Illinois, Oswald spent three summers as the head coach for AAU programs in Deforest and Watertown, Wisconsin. She was also a women's basketball camp counselor at the University of Iowa and University of Wisconsin in the summers of 2018 and 2019.
 
A native of Watertown, Wisconsin, Oswald was the point guard for four seasons at the University of Wisconsin-Stout in Menomonie. She was a two-time team captain, the UW-Stout SAAC President as a senior and a participant in the WBCA's "So You Want to Be a Coach" program. Oswald graduated in 2021 with a bachelor's degree in applied science. She will complete her master's degree in sports administration from Eastern Illinois this May.