CHICAGO – Loyola University Chicago head women's basketball coach Morgan Paige has announced the addition of Heidi Messer to the Ramblers' coaching staff as an assistant coach.
Messer brings more than a decade of collegiate coaching knowledge to Rogers Park, including experience as a head coach, assistant coach, strength and conditioning coach and administrator.
"I am thankful to finalize our staff with the addition of Heidi," Paige said. "She brings a plethora of experience, passion and intensity that I connected with immediately. Having a self-assured leader and sounding board with head coaching experience was something I valued in the building of my staff, and her ambition to compete at the highest level will be loved by Rambler Nation on and off the court."
"I am blessed and grateful to have the opportunity to join "Coach Mo" [Morgan Paige], this experienced staff and the Loyola Chicago community," Messer said. "Any time you get to work alongside people with a shared vision and a high standard of excellence, good things will happen. I am excited to see the way this program evolves. Go Ramblers!"
Messer joins Loyola after spending the last four seasons as head coach at Oklahoma Wesleyan University. During her tenure, she fostered a culture centered on leadership development, consistency and player growth while overseeing continued progress both academically and athletically.
Under Messer's leadership, Oklahoma Wesleyan increased its scoring average in each season from 2022-25 and finished the 2025-26 campaign with the second-best scoring defense in the conference. She coached nine all-conference selections, graduated 22 seniors and maintained a strong student-athlete retention rate throughout her tenure. The program also saw consistent improvement in team GPA while emphasizing academic achievement and personal development.
Before taking over the Oklahoma Wesleyan program in 2022, Messer spent five seasons at Northeastern State University in Oklahoma, serving as an assistant coach and the women's basketball strength and conditioning coach. Prior to her time at Northeastern State, she was an assistant coach at the University of Montevallo from 2015-17 and Manchester University from 2012-14, where she also served as senior woman administrator.
Messer began her collegiate coaching career at Georgetown College (Ky.), where she earned her graduate degree while serving as a graduate assistant coach for two seasons. During her time with the Tigers, Georgetown advanced to the NAIA Fab Four in 2012.
In addition to her collegiate coaching experience, Messer served as a coach for a USA Sports Team that toured Brazil during the summer of 2021.
A native of Waynesville, Ohio, Messer enjoyed a successful collegiate playing career. She spent two seasons at Sinclair Community College before transferring to Grace College, where she played her final two seasons and served as team captain as a senior. Messer finished her career ranked eighth in Grace program history in assists.
