The University of Minnesota Duluth women’s basketball team will have a familiar face on its coaching staff for the upcoming year. Head coach Mandy Pearson has announced the addition of former Bulldog Katie Stark to the staff on Wednesday.
“I couldn’t be more excited to welcome Katie back to the Bulldog team,” said Pearson. “Katie was a leader on the court during her time as a student-athlete and we can’t wait to see how she improves and elevates our team for this upcoming year.”
Stark, a graduate of Hayward High School (WI) played for the Bulldogs from 2016-2020. She was named to the All-NSIC Second team as well as the All-NSIC Defensive team following her senior season. Stark finished her Bulldog career averaging 7.2 points per game and 4.4 rebounds per game while shooting 40% from the field.
“I am excited to be returning to UMD as a coach for the women’s basketball team,” said Stark. “I am thankful for the opportunity and look forward to working with Coach Pearson, Coach Otto-Fisher, and the team to create a positive engaging atmosphere. I feel blessed to be able to share my passion for the game in the place that I love.”
Stark was also a recipient of the Butch Raymond Scholarship (in recognition of Butch Raymond, the former NSIC Commissioner). The scholarship is awarded to one or two student-athletes at each of the 16 NSIC institutions. To be eligible for the scholarship, the recipient must be a senior academically, have a GPA of 3.20 or higher while participating in intercollegiate athletics. Stark was also a three-time NSIC All-Academic Team honoree.
Prior to joining UMD, Stark was an assistant women’s basketball coach at the University of Wisconsin Superior during the 2020-21 season.
