Notre Dame College Vice President of Intercollegiate Athletics Scott Swain has announced that Lauren Macer will return as head coach of the women’s basketball program. Macer, who led the program at NDC from 2017-21, had spent the last two seasons as an assistant coach on the women’s basketball staff at Purdue University Fort Wayne.
“Timing matters, and that could not be more true today, as I am excited to come home and lead Notre Dame women’s basketball to the standard it always has been and will continue to be,” Macer said. “I want to thank Scott Swain and the entire leadership, along with the current student-athletes, for this opportunity to build something special. I am thankful to return and bring my family along on this new journey.”
Macer had raised the standard for the program each season. She had a win percentage of .709, which is the highest of any coach in program history. In those four seasons, the team posted a record of 78-32, overall, and 60-22 in the Mountain East Conference. The team reached the MEC Championship game twice, and qualified for the NCAA Division II Tournament for the first time in program history.
“I am so excited to welcome Lauren Macer back to our Falcon Family,” Swain said. “Through speaking to numerous candidates about our opening, it became apparent that Lauren would be a perfect fit for our program at this time. Lauren led our program to new heights during her time here previously and I am certain she will bring Falcon women’s basketball back to prominence.”
The 2019-20 season was one of the most successful in program history as the team set program records with 26 wins, 18 conference wins and 12 road wins. The Falcons reached the MEC Tournament championship game before qualifying for the NCAA Tournament. Following the 2019-20 season, Macer earned MEC Coach of the Year and was named one of the top college coaches under the age of 30 by being listed on the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) Thirty Under 30 list.
From 2017-21, Notre Dame student-athletes brought home nine All-Conference honors, five All-Tournament Team awards, two Commissioner’s Heart & Hustle awards, two Academic All-District honorees, an All-Region selection and two All-Americans, along with countless academic honors from the MEC.
The Twinsburg, Ohio native is a 2013 Notre Dame College graduate and played for the Falcons from 2009-13. Macer was instrumental in leading the Falcons her senior season by joining the “1,000 point club.” As part of Notre Dame College history, Macer ended her career 7th in career points, 1st in free throws made in a single season (185) and 1st in points averaged for a single season (18.2). She first joined the women’s basketball coaching staff prior to the 2013-14 season.
In two seasons with Purdue-Fort Wayne, the program had improved from one win to 14 wins. Last season, the team went 9-11 in the Horizon League and finished 9-6 at home.
