By The Hays Daily News

The Fort Hays State University athletic department announced this morning the resignation of Tiger women's basketball coach Annette Wiles, effective immediately.

Wiles, a two-time All-American player and starting center on the 1990-91 NAIA national championship team at Fort Hays, has accepted the vacant coaching position at the University of Minnesota-Duluth.

"I would like to thank the Fort Hays State University community for all of their support," Wiles said in a release from Fort Hays this morning. "I feel the time is right for me to pursue a new and exciting coaching opportunity that has been offered to me by the University of Minnesota-Duluth. I have had many opportunities during my time at FHSU as both a student athlete and head coach. Being a national champion, a RMAC Hall of Fame member, and a FHSU Athletic Hall of Fame member, I feel I have accomplished many goals and have had much success."

In her eight seasons, the Tigers amassed a 136-89 record. The Tigers competed in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference tournament in their final six years in the league, and earned the program's first NCAA Div. II postseason berth during the 2004-05 season.

"This is a good opportunity for coach Wiles," Fort Hays Athletic Director Curtis Hammeke said in the release. "We wish her the best of luck in her future endeavors."

Since joining the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association, the Tigers have had records of 14-13 and 12-15 the past two seasons. The 2007-08 campaign was the Tigers' first losing season in eight years under Wiles.

Minnesota-Duluth, which won just four games last season, is a member of the North Central Conference.

"I am well aware of the excellent basketball played in Minnesota and the surrounding region, and I look forward to building a tremendous program with established tradition," Wiles said in a release from Minnesota-Duluth.