Lebanon Valley College has announced that Diane Decker will be the next head women’s basketball coach for the Flying Dutchmen.
“I am extremely thrilled and honored to have been selected as the next women’s basketball head coach at Lebanon Valley College,” said Decker. “I am excited about working at a first-class institution with the privilege to not only coach, but inspire, educate, and empower young women.”
“I want to thank LVC Athletic Director Rick Beard ’90, M’92, Associate Athletic Director Stacey Hollinger, and the entire search committee for selecting me to lead the women’s basketball program. I promise to bring passion, energy, and enthusiasm every single day. I can’t wait to get started… Go Dutchmen!”
Most recently, Decker spent a year at her alma mater Villanova University where she worked in women’s basketball operations. She supported the coaching staff with daily tasks, worked with the Villanova Marketing Department to create game day events and assisted with community service engagements and film breakdown.
“We are thrilled to welcome Diane Decker as our next head coach of Lebanon Valley’s Women’s Basketball program,” said LVC Director of Athletics Rick Beard ’90, M’92. “Her passion for coaching was evident throughout the interview process. I believe Diane will develop players’ talent on the court and in life. Every person we spoke with talked about her incredible work ethic and character. I’m very excited for her to join the LVC Athletics family.”
Prior to her time with the Wildcats, Decker was the head coach at East Stroudsburg University from 2015 to 2019. In the 2015-16 season, Decker was named the PSAC Coach of the Year and in 2016-17, she guided the Warriors to their best record in 10 years (19-9) and coached three players to the All-PSAC First Team, the first time in program history that three players earned first-team recognition.
Decker also has experience as an assistant, as she was a part of Bloomsburg University’s Women’s Basketball staff from 2008 to 2015. Decker helped the Huskies go 149-54 in seven seasons, including five consecutive 20-win campaigns. Under her guidance, Bloomsburg won five consecutive PSAC East Division Championships, earned four NCAA Tournament Atlantic Region trips, and one NCAA Atlantic Region Final.
Before joining the college ranks, Decker was the head varsity girls coach at Freedom High School in Bethlehem, Pa. In three years, she coached her team to an 82-15 overall record.
Decker graduated from Villanova in 1989. She was named team captain her senior season and was selected to the All-Big East Second Team. She helped the team win the Big East Championship in 1987 and 1988 and competed in the NCAA Division I Tournament in each of her four seasons. After graduation, Decker went on to play semi-professionally for the Schuylkill Syrens from 1995-1998.
Decker is a member of several Hall of Fames in the state, including the Marian Catholic High School Hall of Fame, the Schuylkill County PA Hall of Fame, Pennsylvania District IX Hall of Fame, and Lehigh Valley Hall of Fame.
A highly-decorated high school player, Decker was selected as a High School Converse All-American and earned USA Today All-American Honorable Mention status and helped her team win the PIAA State Basketball Championship in 1984. She’s Marian High School’s all-time leading scorer with 2,377 points and the top rebounder with 1,116 boards. She holds the Marian H.S. record for most points in a game with 62.
