St. Olaf College Athletic Director Ryan Bowles announced staffing changes within the athletic department and women’s basketball program on Monday.
After three years leading the St. Olaf women’s basketball program, Kelly Mahlum will be elevated into a new role as deputy athletic director and senior woman administrator (SWA) starting in the 2023-24 academic year. As a result, Jasmine Borgmann will serve as the interim head coach of the women’s basketball program for the 2023-24 season after working as an assistant coach under Mahlum last season.
“I am thrilled that we have someone of Kelly’s caliber to step into our deputy athletic director role,” Bowles said. “She brings a wide array of experience and I know myself, our department and our student-athletes will benefit greatly from having her in this new role. We are also very fortunate to have Jasmine stepping in as the interim head coach. I know the continuity she provides will help us build on the success of last year’s MIAC Playoff appearance.”
As deputy athletic director, Mahlum will be part of the department’s leadership team and will oversee a number of areas, including all Title IX and gender equity components of the department. She will also coordinate all student-athlete programming, co-advise the Student-Athlete Advisory Board (SAAB), oversee all diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, serve on all head coaching search committees, and serve as the sport supervisor for 10 sports, in addition to serving as the senior woman administrator.
“I am thankful and cherish the opportunity to step into this role in the athletic department,” Mahlum said. “The decision to transition away from coaching was a big decision for me. I am excited to be a member of the athletic department’s leadership team and assist Ryan in moving large-scale initiatives in our department forward to support the overall growth and development of all student-athletes.”
After coming to St. Olaf prior to the 2020-21 season that was reduced to three games due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Mahlum led the Oles to 24 wins in her three seasons, including guiding St. Olaf its highest win total (14) and highest Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) win total (11) since 2013-14 in 2022-23. She also led the Oles to their first-ever victory in the MIAC Playoffs in 2021-22 and their first appearance in the tournament under the six-team format since 2014 in 2022-23.
Borgmann joined Mahlum’s staff prior to the 2022-23 season and helped St. Olaf to its first season with a winning record since 2013-14 with the 14-12 finish. Under Mahlum and Borgmann’s tutelage, Rachel Kelly ’23 was named the MIAC Offensive Player of the Year, becoming the first St. Olaf student-athlete to be named a MIAC Player of the Year in women’s basketball, and was the second student-athlete in program history to earn D3hoops.com All-Region honors. St. Olaf also had three College Sports Communicators Academic All-District ® selections and six Academic All-MIAC honorees this past season.
“I am very excited and honored to step into my new role as interim head coach,” Borgmann said. “I want to thank Ryan Bowles for the opportunity and Kelly Mahlum for the leadership and wisdom she has provided me this past year as an assistant coach. I am looking forward to continuing the growth of the program both on and off the court.”
Emily Foster, who has served as St. Olaf’s SWA for the last four years, will continue to hold administrative duties as an assistant athletic director.
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