Durand Hired as Women's Basketball Coach

The University of Findlay department of athletics has announced the hiring of Michele Durand as their new head women's basketball coach. Durand comes to the Oilers from Ohio Northern University where she has served as the assistant athletic director and senior woman administrator following a 19-year tenure as the Polar Bears head women's basketball coach.

"We are excited to announce the hiring of Michele Durand as our next women's basketball coach," said Vice President of Student Affairs and Director of Athletics Brandi Laurita. "Michele has an extensive track record of success and possesses great leadership skills that will undoubtedly benefit our women's basketball program and the University of Findlay as a whole for years to come."

Durand piled up a 333-185 (.643) record as head coach at Ohio Northern from 2002-20. Her teams won five Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) titles (2013, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018), two OAC Tournament championships (2013, 2017), and appeared in four NCAA Division III National Tournaments (2013, 2014, 2016, 2017). She was named the OAC Coach of the Year four times (2007, 2013, 2015, 2017) and was also voted the Great Lakes Region Coach of the Year three times (2008, 2013, 2017) while at Ohio Northern. Durand was also tabbed the NCAA Division III Coach of the Year in 2013.

"I am grateful for my time at Ohio Northern and especially for all the wonderful players and colleagues I have worked with the past 20 years," said Durand. "I want to thank Brandi Laurita and the athletic administration at Findlay for this incredible opportunity and I can't wait to get started!"

Durand's best season at Ohio Northern came during the 2016-17 campaign when her squad finished with a 30-1 record and a trip to the NCAA Division III Elite Eight. Her 2012-13 team also had a great deal of success as they posted a 27-2 overall record and qualified for the national tournament.

Before becoming head coach at Ohio Northern, Durand spent 11 seasons as head coach of Bluffton University. She accumulated 121 wins with the Beavers and was voted the Western Buckeye Collegiate Conference (WBCC) Coach of the Year in 1991.