Heffentrager Hired as New Women’s Basketball Coach

CBC athletic director Lyle Middleton has announced his replacement as head women’s basketball coach for the 2024-25 season. Kory (Westerman) Heffentrager will take the reins of the program as Middleton retires after 20 seasons, but will stay on as golf coach and athletic director.

“I’m excited to have Kory back on the Lady Mustang coaching staff, this time as the leader of the program,” said Middleton. “Kory was a great player and assistant coach during her time at CBC and I feel this is the time for me to pass the torch. This opportunity will allow me to focus on my family, athletic director duties, coaching golf and CBC athletics as a whole.”

Heffentrager returns to CBC after spending two years as an assistant coach at two different area high schools — Conway Christian and Heber Springs. Prior to that she spent two seasons as the women’s basketball assistant at CBC, helping lead the team to a 10-7 record in the COVID shortened 2020-21 season and a 15-16 record in 2021-22, including two AMC Tournament appearances.

“I’m excited to be back,” said Heffentrager. “It’s truly incredible to be back (at CBC) as the head coach. I’m so thankful for the opportunity to come back. A couple of coaches have texted me and said, ‘welcome home’ and that’s the best way to describe it. I met my husband here; I played here for three years and it’s just like another home to me. The people are great and I’m super excited to be back on campus and get going.”

Heffentrager, as a player, was a three-time AMC All-Academic Team selection and a 2017-18 AMC Honorable Mention selection. In 85 career games, she scored 726 points, shot 39% from the field (260-666), played in 2,163 minutes (an average of 25.4 per game), made 147 free throws, grabbed 571 rebounds, handed out 160 assists, blocked 35 shots and made 125 steals, while recording the only triple-double in program history — scoring 10 points, making 11 steals and grabbing 12 rebounds — on Jan. 14, 2020 against Crowley’s Ridge. She ranks tied for 10^th all-time in games played, 7^th in points, tied for 6^th in made field goals, 8^th in field goals attempted, 5^th in minutes, 10^th in made free throws, 2^nd in total rebounds, 1^st in offensive rebounds, 5^th in assists, tied for 10^th in blocked shots and 3^rd in steals, including 63 steals season as a senior, 4^th most in a season in program history.

Heffentrager is married to Zack, a firefighter in Stuttgart and a former CBC basketball player. She joins Dylan Perdue (men’s soccer), Thabo Masoga (women’s soccer), Ally Swaim (running sports) and Halee Hensley (volleyball) as alumni that are coaching at CBC.