Eric Payne enters his ninth year as an assistant women's basketball coach. Payne, who played basketball at EMU during the 1987-88 season, helped coach the Lady Royals to the NCAA Division III Sweet Sixteen during his first year as an assistant in 2004.

Payne has coached in the Augusta County Women's Recreational League and is employed at Stuarts Draft High School in Special Education. Working at EMU as a coach has allowed Payne to help players "reach their goals on the basketball court."

Payne currently lives in Harrisonburg with his wife Carolyn and has two sons, Isaiah and Justus, and a step-daughter, Julia.