the women's basketball program began rebuilding in 2003 after a 16-year absence. at the time, usu was the only division i school that did not have a women's basketball program besides the mostly male virginia military institute and the citadel. it took eight years for utah state to post a winning record, finishing the 2010–11 season at 16–15 after reaching the second round of the wnit. the 2011–12 team finished 21–10 for the first 20-win season in school history, exiting the wnit in the first round. following the season, raegan pebley, who had been head coach since the return of the sport, was hired away by fresno state, with jerry finkbeiner being hired as her replacement.