Head Women's Basketball Coach/Senior Women's Adminstrator/Asst. Athletics Director

Bio

Michelle Filander enters her first year as the Director of Athletics for Austin College in 2025-26, after having previously served as the head women's basketball coach and Senior Woman Administrator since 2010.

While serving as the women's basketball program's head coach, Filander guided the 'Roos to two SCAC regular season championships, as well as multipe D3Hoops.com Top 25 rankings. In 2019-20, she coached the 'Roos to the SCAC Conference Championship and a berth in the NCAA Tournament. She also became the program's all-time wins leader during the 2020-21 campaign. The 'Roos have also regularly been regionally ranked over the past several seasons with Filander at the helm. Filander came to Sherman after having served as an assistant at Washington & Jefferson College.

Filander first served as an assistant at Washington & Jefferson from 2004-2007 before taking over the role of wellness coach at the Charlotte County YMCA of North Port, Florida. Filander returned to W&J for the 2009-2010 season. The Presidents made three trips to the NCAA Division III National Championship Tournament with Filander on the sideline including a first round appearance this past year when W&J went 23-5. Overall, Filander helped coach the Presidents to an 86-26 record in her four years. Prior to her time at Washington & Jefferson, Filander served as an assistant coach at Bethany College and helped guide the team to an overall record of 61-22. Between her stints at Washington & Jefferson and Bethany, Filander helped coach those two teams to three Presidents’ Athletic Conference championships.

Filander, who began her playing career at NCAA Division I Robert Morris University, received her degree from Ohio Wesleyan University in 2001 and later earned her Master’s degree in Athletic Coaching Education from West Virginia University in 2004. While serving as a student assistant at Ohio Wesleyan in 2001, Filander helped lead the team to the NCAA Division III Final Four.

Along with her playing and coaching experience, Filander has given guest lectures on stress management and psychology of injury while at Bethany and also organized a study in sport psychology. During her time at Washington & Jefferson, she coordinated the team’s strength and conditioning program and was an integral part of the program’s recruiting process.