Oakland City University is proud to announce the hiring of FahKara Malone as the Head Coach of the OCU women’s basketball program. Although this will be the first time Coach Malone will be at the helm of a basketball program, she is no stranger to the sidelines. She has a wealth of experience and is eager to move forward to the next stage of her career.
“I am excited for the opportunity to lead the Mighty Oaks. I am thankful to the Athletic Director, Mr. Fletcher, and the President, Dr. Dempsey, for entrusting me to be the next head coach. Coaching has taken me all over the state of Indiana, but there is no place like home. I am grateful for the support that will come from being closer to my hometown. I look forward to using my passion to impact the current and future young women of the Oakland City University women’s basketball program.”
Coach Malone was most recently the University of Indianapolis assistant women’s basketball coach, starting in that role in 2016, the first addition to then new head coach Kristin Wodrich’s staff. Malone coached five All-Conference players and one All-Region player during her time at UIndy. She helped lead the Greyhounds to two winning seasons and two conference tournament appearances. Her roles included leading the program’s guard player development and serving as the team’s defensive coordinator. Off the floor, she assisted with the day-to-day operations while performing as the program’s Recruiting Coordinator.
From 2014-16, Malone served as an assistant coach at Butler University. Malone recruited and coached three All-Conference players during her time, including Evansville native, Tori Schickel.
Prior to that, she spent the 2013-14 season as an assistant at the University of Evansville, which followed two years as the Purple Aces’ Director of Basketball Operations.
Before joining the coaching ranks, Malone was a stand out on the Purdue University Boilermakers women’s basketball team, becoming one of just nine players to start all four years. During her time in West Lafayette, Malone started 124 of 129 games, tallying 1,057 points, 513 assists and 351 steals while helping the Boilermakers reach the post season in each of her four seasons, including three trips to the NCAA Tournament and a pair of appearances in the Elite Eight.
Malone was a three-time Big Ten All-Defensive Team selection and Academic All-Big Ten nominee, a three year team captain, and was chosen as a recipient of the Big Ten’s Medal of Honor as a senior. She was also named to the Big Ten’s All-Freshman Team and was chosen as the Most Outstanding Player after leading Purdue to a Big Ten Tournament Championship as a sophomore.
In high school, as a member of the Evansville Memorial Tigers, she was an Indiana All-Star and holds the school record for steals. As a senior she was a McDonalds All-American finalist. She was Metro Player of the Year three times and a four-time all-conference selection.
Malone received her Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from Purdue University in 2010, going on to earn her first Master’s Degree in Public Health Administration at the University of Evansville. She is in the process of completing her second Master’s Degree in Social Work from the University of Indianapolis.
