Women's Basketball
Carlson, Hillary
Hillary Carlson
- Title:
- Assistant Coach
- Phone:
- 719-333-2056
Hillary Carlson enters her fourth season as an assistant coach in 2022-23. Carlson joined the Falcons by way of Central Washington University where she spent two seasons as an assistant coach.
Carlson's experience as a post player paid dividends for Air Force in 2021-22, as the Falcons reset program benchmarks a season ago. Center Haley Jones averaged 9.3 rebounds per game, second among all players in the MW in 2021-22, while her 4.4 offensive rebounds per game led the MW and ranked her 9th among all players in Division I. Jones also managed 1.9 steals per game, 4th-best in the MW. Jones' 276 rebounds in her final season were the second-most in a single-season in the Division I era. Jones crafted a career-best performance on December 31, scoring 19 points with 15 rebounds in a 65-52 road win at Utah State, one of her five double-doubles in 2021-22.
Carlson was vital to a staff that saw Air Force clinch its first-ever bye in the Mountain West Tournament, where the Falcons defeated Nevada to advance to the semifinal round for the first time in program history. Air Force eventually was awarded an at-large berth in the Women's National Invitational Tournament, as the Falcons picked up their first-ever postseason tournament win in the opening round, defeating San Francisco 64-60.
With Carlson’s efforts, the 2020-21 season was highlighted by Riley Snyder’s All-MW Honorable Mention nod and Kassady Huffman’s MW All-Defensive team selection. The Falcons finished the shortened 2020-21 campaign with an 8-18 overall record and a 4-14 mark in the Mountain West, finishing ninth in the league. The Falcons made it to the MWC quarterfinals for the second-straight season, defeating SDSU in the first round and falling to top-seeded New Mexico thereafter.
In the 2019-2020 season Carlson helped the women’s basketball team to new heights as the Falcons finished 10-21 (7-11 MWC), marking the program’s most single-season conference wins since Air Force joined the league in 1999-2000. Air Force’s seventh-place finish in the league tied its best-ever finish in the MWC, and is the best-ever finish since the MWC became an 11-team league. Under Carlson’s guidance, the Falcons averaged a program-best 60.7 points per game in league play, marking the team’s best conference scoring average since joining the MWC. Air Force also ranked as high as 11th in the nation in offensive rebounds per game and as high as 25th in the nation in steals. Air Force’s historic season was also highlighted by knocking off regular-season champions, Fresno State, at USAFA. The Bulldogs, who were undefeated in conference (15-0) at the time of the loss, had never lost to Air Force before. Carlson also helped guide Air Force to its first-ever win in New Mexico’s “The Pit”, snapping a 22-game losing streak at New Mexico, as well as the squad’s first-ever win against Nevada in Reno, snapping an eight-game losing streak at Nevada.
In two seasons with CWU, Carlson helped the Wildcats to two consecutive winning seasons, highlighted by an 18-11 overall record and a visit to the second round of the Great Northwest Athletic Conference tournament in the 2018-19 campaign.
Prior to CWU, Carlson spent five seasons as an assistant coach at Central High School in her hometown of Cheyenne, Wyoming, where she helped lead the Indians to four state tournament appearances and two fourth-place finishes.
Before beginning a career as a coach, Carlson played professional basketball for two seasons. She began her career playing in Oeiras, Lisbon, Portugal for Quinta dos Lombos Athletic Club in 2011, and played her second season with SEABL in Melbourne, Australia for Nunawading Basketball Club. Whilst playing professionally, Carlson also found time to coach youth basketball for girls aged 7-14.
As a player at the University of Wyoming, Carlson was a three-time All-Mountain West Conference selection, earning first team honors as a senior where she averaged 17.3 points and 7.2 rebounds per game. She set the conference record for blocks in a game with 10 against Nevada as a junior.
Carlson's experience as a post player paid dividends for Air Force in 2021-22, as the Falcons reset program benchmarks a season ago. Center Haley Jones averaged 9.3 rebounds per game, second among all players in the MW in 2021-22, while her 4.4 offensive rebounds per game led the MW and ranked her 9th among all players in Division I. Jones also managed 1.9 steals per game, 4th-best in the MW. Jones' 276 rebounds in her final season were the second-most in a single-season in the Division I era. Jones crafted a career-best performance on December 31, scoring 19 points with 15 rebounds in a 65-52 road win at Utah State, one of her five double-doubles in 2021-22.
Carlson was vital to a staff that saw Air Force clinch its first-ever bye in the Mountain West Tournament, where the Falcons defeated Nevada to advance to the semifinal round for the first time in program history. Air Force eventually was awarded an at-large berth in the Women's National Invitational Tournament, as the Falcons picked up their first-ever postseason tournament win in the opening round, defeating San Francisco 64-60.
With Carlson’s efforts, the 2020-21 season was highlighted by Riley Snyder’s All-MW Honorable Mention nod and Kassady Huffman’s MW All-Defensive team selection. The Falcons finished the shortened 2020-21 campaign with an 8-18 overall record and a 4-14 mark in the Mountain West, finishing ninth in the league. The Falcons made it to the MWC quarterfinals for the second-straight season, defeating SDSU in the first round and falling to top-seeded New Mexico thereafter.
In the 2019-2020 season Carlson helped the women’s basketball team to new heights as the Falcons finished 10-21 (7-11 MWC), marking the program’s most single-season conference wins since Air Force joined the league in 1999-2000. Air Force’s seventh-place finish in the league tied its best-ever finish in the MWC, and is the best-ever finish since the MWC became an 11-team league. Under Carlson’s guidance, the Falcons averaged a program-best 60.7 points per game in league play, marking the team’s best conference scoring average since joining the MWC. Air Force also ranked as high as 11th in the nation in offensive rebounds per game and as high as 25th in the nation in steals. Air Force’s historic season was also highlighted by knocking off regular-season champions, Fresno State, at USAFA. The Bulldogs, who were undefeated in conference (15-0) at the time of the loss, had never lost to Air Force before. Carlson also helped guide Air Force to its first-ever win in New Mexico’s “The Pit”, snapping a 22-game losing streak at New Mexico, as well as the squad’s first-ever win against Nevada in Reno, snapping an eight-game losing streak at Nevada.
In two seasons with CWU, Carlson helped the Wildcats to two consecutive winning seasons, highlighted by an 18-11 overall record and a visit to the second round of the Great Northwest Athletic Conference tournament in the 2018-19 campaign.
Prior to CWU, Carlson spent five seasons as an assistant coach at Central High School in her hometown of Cheyenne, Wyoming, where she helped lead the Indians to four state tournament appearances and two fourth-place finishes.
Before beginning a career as a coach, Carlson played professional basketball for two seasons. She began her career playing in Oeiras, Lisbon, Portugal for Quinta dos Lombos Athletic Club in 2011, and played her second season with SEABL in Melbourne, Australia for Nunawading Basketball Club. Whilst playing professionally, Carlson also found time to coach youth basketball for girls aged 7-14.
As a player at the University of Wyoming, Carlson was a three-time All-Mountain West Conference selection, earning first team honors as a senior where she averaged 17.3 points and 7.2 rebounds per game. She set the conference record for blocks in a game with 10 against Nevada as a junior.
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