By: Madie Brink
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – University of Sioux Falls Women's Basketball head coach Travis Traphagen has announced the additions of Paige Meyer and Shawn Bergan as assistant coaches ahead of the 2026-27 season.
Bergan moves into a full-time assistant coaching role after spending the previous 12 seasons as a part-time member of the Cougar coaching staff, while Meyer begins her collegiate coaching career following a decorated career at South Dakota State and a professional playing career overseas.
"I am really excited about the hiring of Coach Bergan and Coach Meyer! I also want to mention my other staff who have helped the program so much when asked upon. Macie Michelson, Wade Adamson and Taylor Possail are all back for another season with The Coo! I feel very fortunate to work beside all of these coaches who impact our players and program every single day."
Paige Meyer - Assistant Coach
Meyer joins the Cougar staff after wrapping up a highly successful playing career that included four standout seasons at South Dakota State followed by professional experience overseas.
During her time with the Jackrabbits, Meyer established herself as one of the top guards in program and Summit League history. She was a four-time All-Summit League selection, earning First Team honors in each of her final two seasons after collecting Second Team recognition in 2021-22 and 2022-23. She became just the second player in SDSU history to earn All-Summit League First or Second Team honors four times.
A two-year team captain, Meyer helped the Jackrabbits compile a 115-25 record during her career while totaling 1,417 points and 493 assists. She finished her career ranked 16th in SDSU history in scoring and third in assists, with her 493 assists representing the most by a Jackrabbit during the program's Division I era.
Meyer capped her collegiate career in 2024-25 with a program-record 179 assists while earning First Team All-Summit League and Summit League All-Defensive Team honors. She also finished her career shooting 43.3 percent from three-point range, the best career mark in SDSU history.
Her postseason résumé included back-to-back Summit League Tournament MVP honors in 2024 and 2025 and three consecutive selections to the Summit League All-Tournament Team. Meyer helped lead SDSU to three consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances from 2023-25, including NCAA Tournament victories in each of her final two seasons.
Off the court, Meyer was a two-time Academic All-Summit League and College Sports Communicators Academic All-District selection. She was named to the Summit League Commissioner's List of Academic Excellence three times and the league's Academic Honor Roll in each of her four seasons.
Meyer also participated in the Women's Basketball Coaches Association's "So You Want To Be A Coach" program in 2025, an initiative designed to provide graduating women's basketball student-athletes with professional development and networking opportunities as they pursue careers in coaching.
Following her collegiate career, Meyer continued her playing career professionally overseas before returning to South Dakota to begin her coaching career with the Cougars.
"Coach Meyer starts her coaching career after a decorated playing career at SDSU and a year playing professionally. Paige did a great job in the interview process and you can tell she is hungry to get her coaching career started. After watching her for years and getting a chance to meet her I couldn't be more excited to work beside her this season and understand she will have a very bright future as a college basketball coach!"
-Coach Traphagen on the hiring of Paige Meyer
Bergan enters his 13th season with the USF Women's Basketball program in 2026-27 and transitions into a full-time assistant coaching role after serving the previous 12 seasons as a part-time assistant.
A USF alumnus and longtime fixture in South Dakota basketball, Bergan has played an important role in building one of the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference's most consistent programs. During his tenure, the Cougars have compiled a 168-89 overall record while producing 10 winning seasons, six 20-win campaigns, two NCAA Division II Central Region appearances and 11 NSIC Tournament berths.
Bergan was part of the staff that guided Sioux Falls to its first NSIC Tournament Championship in 2016 and helped the Cougars capture their first NSIC South Division title during the 2019-20 season. That team climbed into the top 10 nationally and earned the No. 3 seed in the NCAA Division II Central Regional.
Most recently, Bergan helped guide USF during the 2025-26 season while assisting in the development of First Team All-NSIC selection Anna Vaaler and NSIC Freshman of the Year and Second Team All-NSIC honoree Krista Langager.
Throughout his time with the Cougars, Bergan has helped mentor numerous standout student-athletes, including NSIC Player of the Year Taylor Varsho, NCAA Division II All-American Sam Knecht and D2CCA All-Region selection Kaely Hummel. He has also been part of the development of three consecutive NSIC Freshman of the Year recipients in Kamryn Wadsworth, Alexis Rose and Langager.
Prior to joining USF, Bergan spent five seasons as a part-time assistant coach at Augustana University from 2008-13 following seven seasons as the head girls basketball coach at Sioux Falls Lincoln High School. His collegiate coaching experience also includes three seasons as a part-time assistant with the Augustana men's basketball program from 1991-94.
Bergan earned his Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration from the University of Sioux Falls and a Master of Science in Athletic Administration from South Dakota State University. He also earned his teaching certificate from Augustana.
A native of Webster, South Dakota, Bergan and his wife, Ginger, reside in Sioux Falls with their children, Bo, Gracie and Anna.
"Coach Bergan is no stranger to the program as he starts his 12th season with us, but now it's in a full-time capacity. He has been a staple for the program over the last decade helping in all aspects of the game. When there have been some opportunities in staff over the years to move up in their career, I can always count on Coach Bergan to be available on whatever I or the program needed. Our program will be better because of the time and effort he will be able to pour into the program on a full-time basis."
-Coach Traphagen on the elevation of Shawn Bergan
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