Former Nebraska standout named head softball, assistant women's basketball coach
Sept. 12, 2002
BEMIDJI, Minn. - Bemidji State University director of athletics Dr. Rick Goeb today announced the hiring of Amanda Went as BSU’s head softball and assistant women’s basketball coach.

“Amanda brings a lot of enthusiasm to our programs,” Goeb said. “Her experience as a dual-sport athlete at one of the elite athletics programs in the nation will help her build a strong foundation here at Bemidji State. She will help bring stability to our softball and basketball programs.”

Went joined the staff at Nebraska-Kearney as a graduate assistant in January 2002. She helped lead the Antelopes to a 23-7 mark, including a second-place finish in the Rocky Mountain Athletics Conference after a 16-3 run through the league. Despite a depleted roster comprised mostly of underclassmen, Kearney advanced to its seventh consecutive NCAA Division II national tournament where it was eliminated in the first round by Southwest State.

Prior to her stint at Nebraska-Kearney, Went was a four-year basketball letterwinner at the University of Nebraska. She ended her career as one of the most prolific three-point shooters in Husker history, ranking fourth in three-point field-goal percentage (.342), fifth all-time in three-point field goals (96) and sixth all-time in three-point field goal attempts (281). Went started 16 games as a senior in 2000-01, leading the Huskers in both three-point field goals (31) and three-point percentage (.369, 9th all-time at Nebraska for a single season). She finished second in assists (6.7) and third in scoring (7.5) as one of just three Huskers to play all 30 games that season.

During the 1999-00 season, Went was one of Nebraska’s top reserves, playing all 31 games with one start while averaging 5.8 points and 1.6 rebounds per game. She hit four three-pointers in Nebraska’s win over Baylor in the Big 12 Tournament.

Went was a two-time First-Team Academic All-Big 12 selection in 1998 and ‘99, a member of the Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll in Fall ‘98 and Spring ‘99, and a member of Nebraska’s Student Athlete Advisory Board.

Went spent the 2001 season playing for the eventual Big 12 Champion Nebraska softball team. She appeared in nine games and scored five runs in helping the Huskers to a 51-15 record and their eighth consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance (streak now at nine).

“This is a great opportunity and will be a great experience,” Went said. “The atmosphere in Northern Minnesota will be different for me and a good experience. I’m looking forward to being a dual-sport coach, to meeting with the girls and developing a good core. I want them to have a sense of belonging to a good collegiate program.”

Went earned a bachelor of arts degree in marketing from the University of Nebraska in 2001. She becomes the 11th head coach in BSU softball history; she inherits a program which finished 12-12-1 in 2002 and saw Katie Hurst and Lauren Wilson earn Honorable Mention All-NSIC honors. BSU won eight NSIC games in 2002, its most since 1999.

Went joins Mike Power, hired as BSU’s eighth head coach in May, 2002, to lead the BSU basketball program.