NAMPA, Idaho — The Northwest Nazarene women's basketball team will head in a new direction this coming season under the guidance of a new coach, as NNU athletic director Kelli Lindley announced the resignation of Brian Holsinger.

Holsinger, who was hired in March as the sixth head women's basketball coach at NNU, spent the past four months recruiting and preparing the Crusaders for the 2016-17 season. But earlier this week, the former assistant and associate head coach at Washington State — an NCAA Division I school and member of the PAC 12 — announced his plans to accept a coaching position with another PAC 12 university.

"Brian's decision to return to coaching in the PAC-12 was certainly unexpected, but we wish him well," Lindley said. "We are now focused on finding the next coach who will lead this very talented women's basketball team."

Lindley added that the search for a replacement for Holsinger is already in progress.