Austin high school announced the hiring of two new coaches for the winter sports season on Tuesday.

Eric Zoske is the new Austin girls basketball coach and Carley Grunewald is the new Austin girls hockey coach.

For the past five years, Zoske, an Iowa native, has led the Clarke Community Indians Girls basketball team. Before his time at Clarke, Zooske was the assistant head coach at Gilbert High School and spent time working with at risk children at the Boys & Girls club in Ames, Iowa.

“Eric brings a level of intensity and energy that we are excited to have in our program,” said Austin Activities Director Lisa Quednow. “He has experience developing and building programs as well as working with diverse populations. We are excited to see the impact Coach Zoske will have on our girls basketball program as well as our school district.”

Zoske will take over for interim head coach Anna Meyer who guided the Packers to an 11-15 record this past season.

Zoske will also teach social studies at Austin High School.

Grunewald is an Austin grad and former Packer player. She was an assistant coach for Austin in the past two years under head coach Brett Vesel.

Grunewald holds a a degree in Law Enforcement from Alexandria Technical College and she serves as the Chief of Police for the City of Brownsdale.

  For more information, please contact lisa.quednow@austin.k12.mn.us.