MARSHALL, Texas – East Texas Baptist University has announced two new additions to the Women's Basketball program for the 2026-27 season. Head Coach Blake Arbogast has added Averee Kleinhans, as an assistant coach and head coach for the developmental team, and Maria Savvun, as a graduate assistant.
 
"I am so excited about the additions of Coach Kleinhans and Coach Savvun to the staff, as both are women of high character, commitment, and success. They both have a strong relationship with Jesus and are committed to help this program succeed," Head Coach Blake Arbogast said.  "Coach Kleinhans and Coach Savvun bring different experiences and perspectives to our staff that we have not had in the past, and I am extremely grateful they are a part of the ETBU Women's Basketball program.  I know our players and university will benefit from having both coaches as a part of Tiger Basketball."
 
Kleinhans comes to ETBU after a stellar playing career at NCAA Division II Texas Woman's University. During her time at Texas Woman's, she helped lead the team to three straight Lone Star Conference Tournament Championships and finished as the National Runner-Up in the 2023-2024 season.  She was the LSC Tournament MVP in 2023-2024, the Sixth Woman of the Year in 2024-2025, and, most notably, capped her career by being named a 2025-2026 WBCA All-American.
 
Originally from Nocona, Texas, Kleinhans set a school record for points scored with 3,204 during her high school career and still holds the record for most assists in a single game with 15. She graduated from Texas Woman's with a Bachelor of Science in Nutrition and a minor in Kinesiology.
 
Savvun moves into the graduate assistant position after playing at NCAA Division III Southern Virginia University. A standout point guard at Southern Virginia, she led her team to three straight Conference USA South Tournament Championships. Savvun finished her career second all-time in assists at 348 and fourth all-time in three-pointers made with 173.
 
She was a four-time Academic All-Conference honoree and a four-time CSC Academic All-District honoree. The Cary, North Carolina, native graduated in May 2026 from Southern Virginia with a Bachelor of Arts in Business Management and Leadership with a minor in Psychology and Sports Performance.
 
ETBU has produced a 39-12 record over the last two seasons and won the 2025 American Southwest Conference Regular Season and Tournament Championship.