NEW ULM — Mitch Lewis, who has been an assistant coach for the New Ulm High School girls basketball team for the past four seasons, was approved by the New Ulm High School school board at their August meeting as the new head coach of the Eagles girls basketball team.

Lewis replaces Julie Rogers, who accepted a teaching and coaching position at Tri-City United High School.

Lewis, who has an extensive background in coaching basketball, said that he is excited about the head coaching position.

“I have coached these girls forever and have been with the basketball program a long time,” he said. “We have had some great teams and some great players. I think that we will build off of that — we have a nice core group of girls, minus a couple of injuries — but I am still positive and looking forward to the upcoming season.”

Lewis said that he will be assisted by Libby Joyce.

Lewis said that for the most part, there will not be a lot of changes in their style of play.

“But obviously with the different personnel that we have now, there will be some changes with our offense,” Lewis said. “You have to adjust your offense to what you have for players — there will be some changes, but we are hoping to be able to press like we have and put on pressure like we have for years. That has always been our bread and butter. We are going to cater our offense to the talent that we have.”

Lewis said that there is some experience returning.

“Brooklyn [Lewis, Mitch’s daughter] has played a long time, as has Riley Wilson,” Lewis said. “And Maggie Joyce has played some good minutes on the varsity, as has Leah Brustad, who has played a good bunch as an incoming freshman.”

But Lewis said that the Eagles will be without both Betsy Joyce and McKenna Hulke with ACL injuries.

“We are hoping to get Betsy back maybe by February — her rehab has been doing great and she is ahead of schedule,” Lewis said. “But she is going to play college ball, so we are not going to rush her, but McKenna is definitely out for the season.”

Lewis said there are some younger players coming up who will help and during the summer workouts he has had some seventh- and eighth-graders play.

“And they are looking good,” he said. “I do not know if they will be varsity players quite yet, but there is some good talent coming up in the younger grades.”

Lewis said that he is excited and ready to go.

“I had been hoping to get to this spot in my career for a long time and hopefully we can make the best of it and have a successful season,” he said.