Work Molds Lohr Into WSU Wins Leader
By
Paul Costanzo
Special for MHSAA.com
August 5, 2020
When Carrie Lohr was spending weekends in her youth chopping wood with her father or helping clear stones from her the fields of her grandfather’s farm, she wasn’t thinking of how it would help her become a standout athlete or coach. She did think about how she’d rather be swimming in a pool like her friends and classmates.
But when the Wayne State women’s basketball coach looks back now on her time in Sandusky, it’s those moments that stick out as shaping her.
“I learned the value of hard work,” Lohr, formerly Hickson, said. “I learned the value of earning an allowance. I look back and I was expected to work, and I didn’t know it any other way. Twenty years ago, when I started coaching, I always understood the value of hard work. I was fortunate I have people who have shown me that. That kind of comes back to me more than a particular sport or a particular game or competition. I find myself looking back on how I learned those things with the things that I did.”
Lohr’s hard work helped her become a standout three-sport athlete at Sandusky, an all-conference college basketball player, and now Wayne State’s all-time winningest women’s basketball coach.
The 1989 Sandusky graduate is entering her 10th season with the Warriors with a career record of 148-111. She led Wayne State to NCAA regional finals in 2013 and 2014, and the regional semifinal in 2015. The 2012-13 season featured Wayne State’s first NCAA Tournament victory and its first regional final appearance.
“She definitely had those good leadership qualities and the love of the game,” said Sandusky girls basketball coach Al DeMott, who coached Lohr in the late 1980s. “And she was a hard worker – nobody is going to out-work her. From Day 1, she wasn’t going to let anyone outwork her or get ahead of her. She’s just a great person, and I couldn’t be prouder.”
Lohr starred as a point guard for DeMott for two seasons, helping Sandusky reach the Class C Quarterfinals in 1987, where it lost to eventual champion Detroit St. Martin dePorres.
“She used to knock in the 3s, too,” DeMott said. “She hit some big 3s for us in some big games. She was a gamer. She had a smart basketball IQ.”
Lohr played collegiately at St. Clair County Community College (SC4) and the University of Michigan-Dearborn. She was named first-team all-conference, all-region and all-state at SC4, and, unsurprisingly, was a captain at both schools.
Coaching wasn’t something Lohr considered during her playing days, though.
“I always thought, ‘I could never do this – I could never be a coach. How would I know what to say?’” she said. “But when the buzzer sounds in your last collegiate game and you’re sitting there in the gym and the locker room and reality hit you that it’s over, that was life-changing. It meant so much more to me than I even realized.”
Lohr started her coaching career in 1994 as the freshman girls basketball coach at Richmond, and she quickly fell in love with the profession. Her journey included stints as the freshman girls coach at Port Huron Northern and assistant jobs at SC4 and Oakland University.
While Lohr had found her passion, she still needed to pay the bills.
“I was living my dream (coaching) and following my dream, but reality was hitting me that I may not be able to continue on this path,” Lohr said. “A friend of mine was in medical sales, so I found myself in medical sales for five years. That afforded me to go back into coaching at SC4 as an assistant again, then I got into head coaching.”
She took over the Skippers program in 2002, and had a 166-106 record in nine seasons at her alma mater. It was her first time running a program, and she also became a mother two weeks before her first game with the birth of her daughter Sarah. Carrie was pregnant with her son Eli throughout her entire third season as coach. Lohr said her husband Eric was incredibly supportive, which was crucial to making it work.
She also had an A-list of former coaches to lean on when she needed advice. DeMott is second in MHSAA history with 753 career wins. Lohr’s former travel coach Fred Shaw is a member of the Michigan High School Coaches Association Hall of Fame. And Dave Mann, who has won four MHSAA championships, coached her at U-M Dearborn.
“I really attribute me being in coaching to all of my coaches,” she said. “I always maintained a connection with those individuals. I feel like all three have been a great resource for me. Those times when you’re unsure about something – whether it’s an on-court situation or an off-court situation, I always felt I had three people I could call and seek advice from. I think that’s important to be able to have someone to call and say, ‘I don’t know what to do in this situation.’”
Having played for multiple Hall of Fame-caliber coaches – including the late Paul Jackson, who coached her at SC4 – is also a good way to build a coaching style.
“You learn from other coaches, but you just step out and create your own path,” Lohr said. “I learned a little bit of something different from all of them. The common denominator is they’re all very positive people, but they’re all competitive. They coach very differently.”
In the spring of 2011, Lohr was hired at Wayne State, and she has turned the Warriors into perennial GLIAC contenders.
“I was just lucky, I think, knowing what I know now about how many people apply for these jobs,” she said. “I feel really fortunate that the athletic director here at Wayne State saw something in me and believed in me. I’m very grateful.”
Her kids have grown into athletes themselves at St. Clair High School. Sarah, a senior, plays volleyball and basketball. She could add tennis in the spring, as well, but wasn’t able to this past year because of the cancellation of seasons due to the coronavirus. Eli, a junior, plays tennis, basketball and baseball.
“When I’m watching my kids, it’s enjoyable to just sit back and watch,” Lohr said. “The things I see in my kids is that I think they’re good teammates, and I think they work hard, and those things are important to me. To watch them compete is fun, but to see those things that maybe don’t show up in a tweet or make a headline, those things are really important.”
They’re also getting to enjoy the experience of playing multiple sports in high school, something Lohr thinks back on fondly from her days in Sandusky.
“I still remember my volleyball coaches, and I still remember my softball coach,” Lohr said. “I had a great experience in being a three-sport athlete. It was demanding, but it’s really unfortunate that a lot of young people aren’t able to experience that. I think there’s a lot of pressure on young people to specialize. I felt like there was a strong culture in Sandusky with all of their sports. To look back on it, it was really a special time for me.”
Made in Michigan 2020
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June 16: Muskegon Grad Casts "Magic" in HBO Series - Read
Paul Costanzo served as a sportswriter at The Port Huron Times Herald from 2006-15, including three years as lead sportswriter, and prior to that as sports editor at the Hillsdale Daily News from 2005-06. He can be reached at [email protected] with story ideas for Genesee, Lapeer, St. Clair, Sanilac, Huron, Tuscola, Saginaw, Bay, Arenac, Midland and Gladwin counties.
PHOTOS: (Top) Carrie Lohr this winter will enter her 10th season coaching the Wayne State University women’s basketball program. (Middle) Lohr was a standout at Sandusky High during the 1987 and 1988 seasons. (Below) Lohr huddles with her Wayne State players. (Top and below photos courtesy of WSU sports information; Sandusky photo courtesy of Carrie Lohr.)
Breslin Bound: 2025-26 Girls Report Week 10
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
February 17, 2026
Three months of Michigan high school girls basketball results are soon to be poured into the sorting of 128 District brackets, which will be published Sunday on the Girls Basketball page after teams are seeded based on their Michigan Power Ratings this winter.
A week’s worth of games certainly still can make a difference, and there are plenty of matchups coming up that could tilt how teams line up at several locations. Follow along on the MPR page and see below for some of what we’re watching as we move toward one of the most highly-anticipated days of the season.
“Breslin Bound” is powered by MI Student Aid and based on results and schedules posted for each school at MHSAA.com.
Week in Review
The countdown of last week’s five most intriguing results:
1. Belleville 56, Wayne Memorial 54 The Zebras (15-2) made this much closer than Belleville’s 28-point win in their first meeting, but the Tigers (20-0) still prevailed to clinch the Kensington Lakes Activities Association East title.
2. Jackson Lumen Christi 48, Orchard Lake St. Mary’s 36 The Titans (15-2) claimed the Catholic High School League Bishop Tournament championship, adding to their CHSL Central East title by downing the CHSL Central West champion Eaglets (15-3).
3. Detroit Renaissance 63, Detroit Mumford 37 The Phoenix (15-2) finished an undefeated run through the Detroit Public School League with a second win this winter over Mumford (8-8), this time in the PSL Tournament championship game.
4. Mio 50, Au Gres-Sims 46 These North Star League Little Dipper rivals played each other twice in four days, Au Gres-Sims (16-3) winning the first matchup 53-46 before Mio (14-4) took this one; both have just the one loss, to each other, in league play.
5. Brooklyn Columbia Central 59, Hanover-Horton 52 (OT) Columbia Central (15-2) earned a one-game edge atop the Cascades Conference West with these two set to meet again tonight and Hanover-Horton (15-3) playing to secure a share of the title.
Watch List
With an eye toward March, here are two teams in each division making sparks:
DIVISION 1
Muskegon (15-2) The Big Reds have clinched the Ottawa-Kent Conference Green championship with two league games to play and after finishing third and 11-12 overall just a season ago. Muskegon certainly is a contender statewide in Division 1 as well with wins over Rockford (16-1) and Hudsonville (12-7) and losses to only Wayne Memorial (15-2) and Grand Haven (16-2) – the latter by just a point. Haslett (15-2) and Holt (14-3) are league champions and will provide two more solid prep games heading into the postseason.
Saginaw Heritage (15-5) The Hawks have won four straight to clinch the outright Saginaw Valley League North championship after finishing second in the one-division SVL a year ago. Heritage also has moved up to No. 3 in statewide Division 1 MPR with its success coming against opponents with a combined .688 winning percentage and the five losses to teams that all have at least 13 wins. The team’s final two regular-season games are against league champions – Flint Powers Catholic (18-2) and Yale (17-1).
DIVISION 2
Grand Rapids West Catholic (14-4) Last season’s Division 2 runner-up can’t catch Grand Rapids South Christian in the O-K Gold but still has plenty of chances to make noise this season and plenty of quality wins showing what’s possible – including victories over reigning champion Tecumseh (17-2), Saginaw Heritage (15-5), Parma Western and Wyoming (both 13-5). Two of West Catholic’s losses came to the undefeated Sailors, with the others to Muskegon (15-2) and Middleville Thornapple Kellogg (10-7). Thursday’s matchup with Grand Rapids Catholic Central (16-2) should be especially interesting heading into seeding.
Redford Westfield Prep (12-5) The Warriors defeated Hamtramck on Friday to win the Charter School Conference Tournament, and they have only one loss this season to an in-state school – Riverview (15-4), by a point – with the other four coming against opponents from Chicago. All but an earlier win over Hamtramck came by double digits, and Westfield went from defeating the Cosmos by two on Jan. 30 to 22 last week. Tonight’s matchup with Milford (14-4) highlights the final weeks of the regular season.
DIVISION 3
Hemlock (17-1) The Huskies are enjoying another dominating run in the Tri-Valley Conference Blue, carrying a 37-game league winning streak into this week as they seek to clinch a fourth-straight title Friday against second-place Saginaw Michigan Lutheran Seminary. Hemlock has five wins over opponents with at least 12 victories this season, including by 20 points the first time it faced MLS (14-4) and more recently over Beaverton (16-2) on Feb. 9. The lone loss came to Division 2 Freeland (12-6). The Huskies will head into the postseason seeking a second-straight District title.
Kalamazoo Christian (13-3) The Comets clinched a share of the Southwestern Athletic Conference Valley title Friday with a 35-33 win over Schoolcraft and can make the championship outright against Lawton this Friday. The league crown is K-Christian’s fourth-straight, and the Comets will head into the postseason seeking at least a fourth-straight District title. The only losses came against Division 1 and 2 opponents that are a combined 42-12. They see second place Hackett Catholic Prep (15-3) one more time Feb. 24 and could see the rival Irish as well in the District.
DIVISION 4
Ewen-Trout Creek (16-2) Last season’s Division 4 runner-up has played like a contender again, with a six-point loss to Division 2 Negaunee (17-1) just like last winter and also one against L’Anse (15-2), but with wins over Baraga (16-3), Norway (14-4) and Wakefield-Marenisco (12-5) twice – and with W-M likely to be the second seed in E-TC’s District in two weeks. Division 2 Houghton (13-5) on Feb. 24 will be another nice test heading into the playoffs.
L’Anse (15-2) The win over Ewen-Trout Creek noted above appears likely to decide the overall Copper Mountain Conference championship in favor of the Purple Hornets and came after they lost to E-TC by 24 a year ago. L’Anse did finish 18-6 last season so this progression may be just the next step, and they’ve shown it even during this winter avenging an early 12-point loss to Baraga with a 16-point win Jan. 29. The other defeat came to Division 1 Marquette, by just three points, also in mid-December.
Can’t-Miss Contests
Be on the lookout for results of these games coming up:
Friday – Grand Haven (16-2) at Rockford (16-1) – The Rams’ third game in four days this week could clinch them the outright title in the O-K Red, as they look to add to a 64-48 win over the second-place Buccaneers from Jan. 30.
Friday – Pewamo-Westphalia (14-2) at Bath (16-2) – The Pirates’ 37-game Central Michigan Athletic Conference winning streak will be on the line as they look to finish a repeat championship and after defeating Bath 64-41 on Jan. 15.
Friday – Morley Stanwood (15-2) at Kent City (15-4) – Morley Stanwood can clinch the Central State Activities Association White title outright, or Kent City can move into a first-place tie with one league game left for both.
Friday – Beaverton (16-2) at Standish-Sterling (17-1) – These two are set to meet in next week’s Jack Pine Conference championship game as well, but this matchup could provide a preview.
Saturday – Cascades Conference Championship at Spring Arbor – Grass Lake (16-1), Michigan Center (15-3), Brooklyn Columbia Central (15-2) and Hanover-Horton (15-3) all remain in the mix to reach this game.
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PHOTOS (Top) Belleville’s Sydney Savoury (21) pulls up for a shot during her team’s 56-54 win over Wayne Memorial. (Middle) Holt’s Olivia Gadson (11) follow’s a teammate’s screen during the Rams’ 51-42 win over Okemos on Feb. 10. (Belleville/Wayne photo by KMS Photography. Holt/Okemos photo by John Johnson.)