There are at least four head coach openings in Region VIII/IX ahead of the 2026 campaign.
Lynne Deadrick is retiring at Wisconsin-Superior after being at the helm since 2003.
Other known openings are at Luther, Principia and Ripon. Luther and Principia had interim head coaches in 2025. Ripon does not have a release on its site regarding former head coach Katie Astrauskas, who guided the program from 2010-25.
With one of the coaching deans of the regions retiring, here are the Region VIII/IX head coaches who have also been at their institutions since at least 2003 like Deadrick:
Kim Nelson-Brown, Illinois Wesleyan (since 1996)
Peter Preocanin, Hanover (2000)
Merry Graf, Webster (2001)
Gretchen Hunt, Bethel (2001)
Leanne Ulmer, Carthage (2001)
Jeff Meeker, Cornell (2002)
Tami Miller, Anderson (2003)
-Ricky Nelson