Shanna Thompson, a veteran Division III coach whose experience includes a prior stint in the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference, has been named Earlham's head women's basketball coach.
Thompson officially begins her duties at Earlham on May 1. Thompson replaces Shauna Watson, who coached the Quakers for the past four seasons and compiled a 24-60 record. That includes a 1-6 mark this past season.
"We had an impressive number of applications from some highly qualified candidates, but in that crowded field Shanna's application stood out," said Steve Sakosits, Earlham's interim director of athletics and head baseball coach. "She understands coaching and recruiting at the Division III level, she has connections within our region, and she brings a champion's mindset to the position. I believe she is positioned to accomplish great things with Earlham women's basketball."
Thompson joins Earlham women's basketball from Illinois College, where she has been an assistant coach and head junior varsity coach with the Lady Blues for the past two seasons, working under coach Jennifer McCormick. She assisted with recruiting, player development, particularly with the Lady Blues' perimeter players, and game and practice strategy, while also coordinating scheduling, academic monitoring, and other administrative duties.
"I am extremely excited and truly humbled to be joining the Earlham College community," said Thompson. "I know the applicant pool was incredibly strong, so to be given the opportunity to lead this program and these young people is truly a blessing. It became very evident throughout the search process that Earlham is a special place with amazing people who love what they do and love where they do it."
Prior to joining the staff at Illinois College, Thompson was an assistant coach at fellow HCAC member Bluffton from 2016 to 2019, where she helped develop three All-HCAC selections was a part of two 20-win seasons recorded by the Beavers. She broke into collegiate coaching at Baldwin Wallace, where Thompson coached during the 2015-16 season.
Thompson's coaching resume at the high school level includes three seasons as the assistant girls' basketball coach and head JV coach at Shaker Heights High School (2012-15), and one season at Central Technical High School in Erie, Pennsylvania (2011-12).
Thompson was a four-year member of the women's basketball team at Division II Gannon from 2007 to 2011, including the Golden Knights' 2010 national semifinalist squad and 2009 team that reached the Atlantic Region championship game. Following graduation, she played for the Cleveland Crush in the semi-professional WBCBL for three seasons, including the Crush's northeast regional championship teams in 2014 and 2015.
Thompson is a 2011 graduate of Gannon with a bachelor's degree in sport and exercise science. She earned an MBA with a concentration in leadership from Bluffton in 2019.
"I'd like to thank interim athletic director, Steve Sakosits, and the members of the search committee for giving me the opportunity to join the department and be a part of the growth of Earlham College athletics," said Thompson. "I believe whole heartedly in the vision of the department and the potential of Earlham athletics, and I am excited to work with and learn from a group of coaches and administrators that are truly invested in the success of their student athletes as scholars, competitors and people. I am extremely eager to begin working with the incredible women's basketball student athletes at Earlham and thrilled to be guiding the program into its next chapter."