Logan • Utah State athletic director John Hartwell announced on Monday that Jerry Finkbeiner is permanently stepping down as the Aggie women’s basketball coach, effective immediately.

Finkbeiner announced earlier this month that he was taking a medical leave of absence for a non-life-threatening health condition.

“Our time in Cache Valley and working for Utah State has marked a special period in our lives and I have thoroughly enjoyed the challenges of moving our program forward during my tenure at USU,” Finkbeiner said in a news release. “I have had the pleasure of sharing numerous experiences and memories with my many staff members and players over the last seven years, both on and off the basketball floor. I will forever be joining in with the chant, “Go Aggies” whenever the opportunity arises. I wish to acknowledge thanks and appreciation to John Hartwell, Jerry Bovee, and Amy Crosbie for their leadership and commitment to Aggie Athletics. Go Aggies!”

USU associate head coach Ben Finkbeiner will run the program and serve as interim head coach for the remainder of the season.

“We would like to thank Jerry for his dedication and service to the Utah State women’s basketball program for the past seven years,” Hartwell said in the release. “We wish him and Reva well in their future pursuits.”

Finkbeiner, who was entering his seventh season at Utah State this fall, has an overall record of 570-366 (.609) in 30 years as a collegiate head coach. Last season, USU saw its largest turnaround in program history, going 17-16 overall, improving by 10 wins from the previous year. The Aggies also advanced to postseason play for the third time in Finkbeiner’s tenure last season, as they advanced to the second round of the Women’s Basketball Invitational.