CONWAY, S.C. — Heather Kearney is back in the game — as if she ever left.

The Harrisville native and former Slippery Rock University basketball standout was recently hired as associate head women’s basketball coach at Coastal Carolina University.

Kearney had served as associate head coach under former SRU coach Darcie Vincent from 2009-14 at Appalachian State. Both resigned from their respective positions before the start of last season.

“Things were changing there and Darcie decided to step down,” Kearney said. “Out of loyalty, our entire staff resigned as well. The men’s basketball staff resigned, so did some other sports ... the athletic department is going through a major transition there.

“Teachers and people in other professions take sabbaticals. This was a basketball sabbatical.”

Kearney had been involved in the sport every year for nearly three decades. She played for The Rock from 1995-99, graduating as the program’s all-time leading scorer with 1,760 points. That record still stands.

She also ranks No. 2 on SRU’s career rebounding list with 949 boards in 95 games. The leader, Kory Fielitz, had 961 rebounds in 104 games. Kearney’s 460 free throws and 572 attempts remain Rock records as well.

Kearney was a graduate assistant under Vincent in 1999-2000, then coached with her at California (Pa.), winning a Division II national championship. She was head coach of the Vulcans in 2008-09, guiding the team to a 29-5 record and a No. 4 national ranking before moving on to Appalachian State.

“It definitely felt strange, not coaching this past year,” Kearney admitted. “But I always knew I still wanted to coach and would coach again.”

Kearney spurned some Division II head coaching opportunities and other Division I coaching offers before deciding to join third-year coach Jaida Williams at Coastal Carolina.

“From the mountains to the beach — it will be an adjustment,” Kearney laughed. “I was looking for the right fit and I found it here.”

After years of coaching offense, Kearney will primarily be a defensive coach for the Chanticleers. Coastal Carolina has not had a winning season since the 2009-10 campaign.

“She is a proven winner and has had tremendous success at every program she has been a part of,” Williams said of Kearney in a released statement. “Her addition to our Chanticleer family will certainly be a bright spot in upcoming seasons.”

The Chanticleers are coming off a 12-18 season and are 27-34 in two years under Williams. They compete in the Big South Conference.

“I actually like it that way,” Kearney said of joining a program that has been struggling. “I like rebuilding. We turned things around at Slippery Rock. California was at the bottom of the PSAC when we got there. Now, I like what’s happening at Coastal.

“We have nine new players coming in this year, most of them freshmen. The campus is absolutely beautiful and the team is one of the league’s best at scoring points. The problem has been it’s allowed the other team to score a lot of points as well. That’s why I’m here.”

Kearney said that “any coaching position is an insecure one” and she is unsure of how long she’ll stay at Coastal.

“I’ve got a house in Myrtle Beach, minutes from the campus,” she said. “I’ll be on the road recruiting for the next seven days and I love it. There are players on the roster here from all over the country.

“I enjoy recruiting. You find players to maintain the core values of the school, finding kids who the school can help and who can help the school ... It’s a challenge.

“I may be here for the next one or two years, maybe the next 20. However it works out is fine with me. Being in the right fit, the right situation, being able to do good things to make a program better, that’s all I care about,” she added.