Staff Directory
- Title:
- Associate Head Coach
- Email:
- Phone:
- (812) 855-3013
Rhet Wierzba is in his 12th season and fifth as associate head coach for Indiana in 2025-26.
He has been with head coach Teri Moren during her entire tenure at Indiana, as the Hoosiers have won 20 more games in 10 of those seasons and made nine postseason berths including seven NCAA Tournament appearances. In those NCAA appearances, the Hoosiers have been to the second round all sseven times including three Sweet Sixteens and advanced to the Elite Eight in 2020-21.
He leads the development of Indiana’s post players who have earned 11 All-Big Ten honors in his tenure. Most notably, he has helped developed Mackenzie Holmes into one of the nation’s best players. Holmes finished her IU career as an eight-time All-American including the program’s first-ever first team All-American by WBCA, USWBA and Associated Press. The Gorham, Maine native became the program’s first Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year in 2023-24 and finished her career as a four-time All-Big Ten honoree. She completed her five-year career as the team’s all-time leading scorer and finished in the Top 5 in 11 different categories in the Indiana history books, including program records for field goal percentage and all-time wins. Throughout her career, she was also up variety of player of the year awards including a finalist for the Wade Trophy and Wooden Award along with a top five finalist for the Lisa Leslie Award (nation’s top center). The Gorham, Maine native averaged 22.3 points, 7.3 rebounds and shot a program record 68.0 percent from the floor.
The Hoosiers completed another 20-win season in 2025-26 by going 20-13 overall and advancing to the NCAA Tournament second round. The 2023-24 Indiana squad advanced to the regional semifinal for the third time in four years and finished 26-6 overall. The Hoosiers set four new program records including field goal percentage (50.4), 3-pointers made (268), 3-point percentage (39.6) and assists (591). Four players earned All-Big Ten honors and completed a perfect record at home by going 15-0 in action inside Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall.
During the 2022-23 season, Indiana claimed its first Big Ten regular season championship in 40 years. The team earned the program’s first No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament and climbed as high as No. 2 in both national polls. The Hoosiers set a new program record for wins in a season (28) and tied the records for Big Ten wins in a season (16) while posting its seventh-straight 20-win season.
The 2021-22 Hoosiers continued its upward trajectory as it finished with an overall record of 24-9 and second-straight NCAA Sweet Sixteen appearance. The Hoosiers advanced it its first Big Ten Tournament championship game in 20 years and earned its highest ever seed in the NCAA Tournament as a No. 3 seed while hosting first and second games in Bloomington. Indiana also spent the entire 2021-22 season ranked in the Top 25 national polls rising as high as No. 4 in the Associated Press and No. 5 in the USA Today/WBCA coaches poll.
His leadership helped guide the Hoosiers to another historic season in 2020-21, reaching the NCAA Elite Eight for the first time in program history and a sixth consecutive 20-win season. Indiana went on to finish 21-6 overall for its sixth-consecutive 20-win season and won a program record 16 games in Big Ten play to earn its highest finish in school history with a No. 2 seed. He is instrumental in the development of Holmes, who upped her season average over seven points to 17.8 in 2020-21 which earned her AP All-American honorable mention honors and a place on the All-Big Ten first team. Junior forward Aleksa Gulbe also reeled in her first All-Big Ten honors as an honorable mention selection. The program also spent every week of the 2020-21 season in the Top 25 and finished a program-high No. 12 in the AP poll and No. 10 in the coaches poll.
During his sixth season in 2019-20, his guidance led Holmes to a new school record in field goal percentage (63.4%) and a spot on the five player Big Ten All-Freshman team. Holmes also earned three Big Ten Freshman of the Week honors, the first time an IU freshman has won the award three times. In addition, sophomore forward Aleksa Gulbe showed tremendous improvement as she went from a reserve role to a starting spot in 2019-20 and upped her average by nearly four points. The squad would go on to finish with a program records with overall wins (24) and Big Ten wins (13). Indiana secured the No. 4 seed in the Big Ten Tournament for the second time since he joined the staff and made the Big Ten Tournament semifinals for the first time since 2006. Indiana also spent all 20 weeks of the season ranked in the Associated Press top 25, reaching a program record ranking of No. 12. They made history in the 2019 Paradise Jam where the Hoosiers upset then No. 5/6 South Carolina in the program’s first top five non-conference victory in school history.
In 2018-19, Wierzba helped Indiana to a postseason berth with an at-large bid in to the 2019 NCAA Tournament where they earned a first-round win over Texas. The Hoosiers posted their fourth-straight 20-win season as his instruction of forward Brenna Wise led her to All-Big Ten honorable mention honors.
He helped guide Indiana to the 2018 WNIT Championship and an overall record of 23-14 in the 2017-18 season. Season highlights included wins over Western Kentucky, a four-overtime thriller in the Big Ten Tournament against Michigan State and three-straight wins over Purdue. Indiana advanced to the WNIT quarterfinals and a program-record 23 wins in 2016-17. It marked the first time in school history that IU has posted back-to-back 20-win seasons and the first back-to-back winning seasons since 2007-08 and 2008-09. In addition, the Hoosiers went 15-3 at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall, recording its fifth-consecutive winning season at home. Indiana also set single season program records for points scored (2,547), points per game (74.9) and assists (564). He helped guide forward Amanda Cahill to All-Big Ten second team honors.
In his second season, Wierzba’s direction helped Indiana to its most regular season wins (20) in program history en route to an at-large bid into the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 14 years. IU picked up its first win in the NCAA Tournament since 1983 with its first-round win over Georgia.
The 2015-16 squad also for overall wins (21) in a single season, the sixth time it has won 21-plus games, and the school’s second-most Big Ten victories (12) ever.
In his first year in Bloomington in 2014-15, the Hoosiers achieved the program's best scoring average (71.9 ppg) since 1995-96, the best team free throw percentage (74.3 percent) since 2003-04 and the most steals (284) since 2010-11. IU nailed 236 3-point field goals, the second best total in school history and also cracked the top five in program history in free throw percentage (4th), points scored (5th, 2,229), points per game (5th) and 3-point field goal percentage (5th, 33.1 percent). Indiana also set single game records for scoring (115) and 3-pointers made (16) in the season opening win over Gardner-Webb on Nov. 15, 2014. IU also tied the school mark for field goals made in that game (46).
Prior to arriving in Bloomington, Wierzba spent the 2013-14 season on head coach Teri Moren’s staff at Indiana State. In 2013-14, Wierzba helped lead Indiana State to a Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) championship, the program's first since 2006. ISU also made a WNIT appearance during his time there.
Before ISU, Wierzba was an assistant coach at Mercer for three seasons and helped improve the program from a combined eight wins from 2010-12 to a 20-12 overall record in 2012-13 and a trip to the postseason for the first time since 1985.
Wierzba spent three years on staff at Maryland as the director of operations (2007-10). During his tenure in College Park, Wierzba was part of two NCAA Tournament Elite Eight appearances and an ACC championship.
A Farmington, Ill. native, Wierzba also served a director of operations on the men's side at the University of Evansville for two seasons (2005-07).
He got his start at his alma mater, Austin Peay, spending one season with the Governors (2004-05) as a graduate assistant. As a player, Wierzba helped the Governors to back-to-back Ohio Valley Conference titles, while making an NCAA appearance in 2003 and a NIT berth the year after. He was a team captain for two years and was named OVC Scholar Athlete his senior year.
He also earned the Austin Peay's Joy Award, presented to the most outstanding senior student-athlete. He was also twice selected APSU's Male Scholar-Athlete while earning honorable mention Academic All-American honors three times.
In 2004, Wierzba earned his undergraduate degree from Austin Peay in business management. He completed his master's degree a year later in health and human performance, with a concentration in sports administration.
Wierzba and his wife, Tiffany, have two sons, Brayden and Jackson, and reside in Bloomington.
