A tremendous addition to a new-look coaching staff for the women’s basketball team at IUPUI, Maria Marchesano has been named the Associate Head Coach for the upcoming 2016-17 season, as announced by Head Coach Austin Parkinson Monday (Aug. 29). Marchesano joins the staff after most recently having served as the head coach at Walsh University for the past three seasons.
“We are extremely excited to welcome Coach Marchesano to the IUPUI basketball family,” Coach Parkinson said. “What Maria has been able to accomplish at two different institutions as a head coach is incredibly impressive and shows she is a coach on the rise in our profession.”
In three years at Walsh University, Marchesano compiled a 79-57 record as the eighth head coach in the program’s history. A program that saw substantial success under her tutelage, Marchesano led the team to back-to-back 20 win seasons, two GLIAC Tournament Final Four appearances, three-straight Mayor’s Cup trophies and a plethora of all-conference awards.
“I am very excited to begin this journey at IUPUI,” Coach Marchesano said. “This program has really grown over the last few years and I am grateful to Austin for the opportunity to join his staff and be a part of a special program. It is never easy leaving a program and I will always be thankful to Walsh (University), the staff, and the players I was fortunate enough to coach in my time there.”
Prior to her stint with Walsh University, Marchesano was named the head coach at Urbana University 10 games into the season. A once 2-8 team, Merchesano transformed the program, reeling off eight-straight wins at home, and had the team back to .500 by mid-February. They qualified for the six-team Ohio D-II Independent Championships after going 12-7 in her time as head coach, and she was eventually named the D-II Independent Coach of the Year for her efforts.
“To be able to have someone with her experience and knowledge will be a tremendous benefit for our young ladies well as our coaching staff,” Coach Parkinson added. “When you look at her teams, they’ve always played with great pace while putting up quite a bit of points on the offensive end.”
Marchesano played collegiately at Butler University in Indianapolis, where she was a four-year letter winner in basketball and a one-year letter winner in softball. She finished her career as the second-best three-point shooter in program history, and would go on to start 48 games as a shortstop in her lone season with the softball team.
“Having played high school and college basketball in the state of Indiana fits in very well with our recruiting focus here in the Midwest,” Coach Parkinson added.
The women’s basketball team is coming off a 21-11 overall record from a season ago, going 11-5 in Summit League play. The team advanced to the second round of the Women’s National Invitation Tournament (WNIT) after defeating Central Michigan 63-55 in Mt. Pleasant, Michigan. For the first time ever, the Jaguars hosted a post season tournament game at home, hosting San Diego in second round action.
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