WBK1516 HC-Ferenz

Michelle Ferenz

  • Title
    Head Women's Basketball Coach / Associate AD / SWA
  • Email
    ferenzmk@whitman.edu
  • Phone
    (509) 527-5261
Michelle Ferenz has been the head coach for Whitman's women's basketball program since 2001 and is the winningest women's basketball coach in Northwest Conference history. Her program has qualified for the Northwest Conference postseason tournament each of the past 10 seasons and for the NCAA tournament five of the past eight seasons.

Whitman Head Coaching Career (since 2001-2002 season)
  • The Blues won the 2022 NWC Title with an undefeated league record (only second time in program history) and advanced ot the second round of the NCAA Tournament
  • NCAA Sweet 16 appearance in 2020 before NCAA Tournament was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic
  • Appeared in the NCAA Division III National Tournament in 2018, its second consecutive, after a season where the Blues were ranked as high as No. 2 in the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) D-III poll
  • The 2016-2017 Blues won the postseason NWC tournament allowing an automatic berth into the Division III National Tournament, where their season ended in the Elite 8.
  • Former player and NWC player of the year Casey Poe surpassed the 1,000-point career mark and moved up eighth all-time in program scoring history with a total of 1,145 points
  • Ferenz marked history in 2019 claiming her 300th career coaching victory
  • Led team to a program record of 31 wins in 2013-2014 and became the winningest coach in Whitman women’s basketball history where she was also named NWC Women’s Basketball Coach of the Year, her third such honor.
  • The Blues completed the 2013-14 season with Ferenz leading the team into the championship game of the NCAA tournament. Whitman completed the regular season with a perfect 25-0 mark and claimed the No. 1 ranking in the D3hoops.com poll.
Other Coaching Experience
  • Head coach for girls basketball at Okanogan High School
  • Tallied a record of 162-56
  • Led her teams to the Class A State Tournament three times
  • Twice named the Caribou Trail League Coach of the Year
Playing Career
  • Eastern Montana
  • Claimed second team all-conference her senior season and honorable mention her junior campaign, averaging double figures in scoring both seasons
  • First Team Academic All-Conference her senior year
  • Highline Community College
  • Averaged 18 points per game, leading her team to consecutive north region crowns
  • Twice named First Team all-conference and was the league’s 1988 all-star game’s MVP
Personal
  • Resides in Walla Walla with her husband Chris Ferenz, who is a volunteer assistant with the Whitman women’s basketball team, and has three children, Robert, Mikayla and Kathryn.
  • Mikayla finished as the all-time leading scorer (2,466 pts.) for the University of Idaho women's basketball program and is one of six women in NCAA history to post 400 career three-pointers, finishing with 415. She is now playing professionally in Luxembourg. Son Robert is a graduate of Washington State University. Kate played for Coach Hazeltine at Walla Walla Community College for two seasons before moving on to Carroll (Mont.) College where she will graduate with a nursing degree in 2020.
Career Record at Whitman:
 
Season Overall NWC
2022-23 22-6 14-2
2021-22 27-2 16-0
2020-21 9-2 9-2
2019-20 26-3 15-1
2018-19 20-7 13-3
2017-18 22-5 14-2
2016-17 26-5 12-4
2015-16 17-8 10-6
2014-15 16-10 11-5
2013-14 31-2 16-0
2012-13 23-6 13-3
2011-12 16-10 12-4
2010-11 15-11 9-7
2009-10 12-13 7-9
2008-09 18-8 10-6
2007-08 14-11 8-8
2006-07 12-13 7-9
2005-06 14-11 10-6
2004-05 14-11 9-7
2003-04 19-6 13-3
2002-03 8-16 6-10
2001-02 7-17 3-13
Overall 388-183 231-110