Springfield, OH – After four years at the helm of the Wittenberg University Women's Basketball Program, Head Coach Kelly Mahlum has stepped-down as coach of the Tigers to assume the same role at St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota.
Mahlum joined the Wittenberg coaching staff in 2011 as a volunteer assistant coach, before being elevated to associate head coach ahead of the 2013-14 season. Mahlum served as the Interim Head Coach during the 2016-17 season, before eventually taking over the squad as the head coach for the 2017-18 season.
"My love for the Wittenberg community and the Tigers will continue well beyond my time here as this is a special place for my family and me. I thank the WWB players during my tenure, both past and present, for the joy we have experienced together and the challenges we persevered together that always made us stronger. Continuing to build relationships beyond our time on campus is something I cherish and will always pursue," said Mahlum. "Thank you to Gary Williams for the opportunity to lead this historically successful program and believing in my passion for building strong student-athletes. Thank you to all the support from family, friends, and Wittenberg faculty and staff while I have been here; I will always remember this community with great gratitude."
As head coach of the Tigers, Mahlum accumulated an overall record of 63-45 with a 37-27 mark in North Coast Athletic Conference action, which included a trip to the NCAC Tournament title game in 2018. Under Mahlum's tutelage, seven Tigers earned All-NCAC honors, highlighted by rising senior Delaney Williams being named the NCAC's Top Defensive Player for the 2019-20 season.
"My heartfelt appreciation goes out to Kelly for all she has done for Wittenberg women's basketball both as an assistant and most recently as our head coach," said Vice President and Director of Athletics and Recreation Dr. Gary Williams. "I'd also be remiss if I did not include our thanks to Sarah Jurewicz as well. This is a bittersweet moment for Kelly and for all of us. While this is tremendous opportunity for Kelly and her family and we are supportive of her decision, we are also very sad to lose a staff member who brings so much to not just our basketball program, but also our athletic department and University community. We wish her, Sarah, and the girls all the best moving forward and I am confident we will still benefit from all that they brought to our campus and their love for Wittenberg for years to come."
Current Assistant Coach, Valerie Driscoll, will assume the day-to-day administrative duties for the program while the University launches a national search for the program's next head coach.