Franklin, Ind. - Franklin College Director of Athletics Kerry Prather has announced the hiring of Dana Haggenjos as the ninth head women's basketball coach in program history. She was a former standout player and assistant coach for 10 seasons at perennial NCAA Division III national contender DePauw University.

"Dana has prepared herself extremely well for this opportunity, having played and worked for one of the most successful Division III programs in the country," said Prather. "Her personal drive to succeed, along with the experience she has gained in a national championship program, will serve our student-athletes very well. Franklin College has a proud tradition in women's basketball, and I am confident in Dana's ability to lead the Grizzlies to future success on the conference and national levels."

The Mooresville, Ind. native helped DePauw to a 270-34 record as an assistant coach from 2004-06 and 2007-14, including the 2012-13 Division III national championship.

"The competitive history of Franklin's program made this a job that I have admired for some time. I love the Division III philosophy, with an emphasis on student-athletes that are committed to success on and off the basketball court."

Haggenjos adds, "Franklin College has a family atmosphere that allows coaches to help players grow throughout their college careers. The college also offers outstanding academic majors that appeal to recruiting female student-athletes to the program."

A four-year varsity letterwinner at DePauw from 1999-2003, Haggenjos ranks among the program's leaders in career points, field goal percentage, free throw percentage, rebounding and steals. She earned all-Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC) honors as a senior and finished second in the SCAC Player of the Year voting. She also was named to the SCAC Academic Honor Roll.

Haggenjos moved to the sideline in 2004, serving as a graduate assistant for Head Coach Kris Huffman from 2004-06. She earned the Women's Basketball Coaches' Association (WBCA) Graduate Assistant of the Year Award during the 2005-06 campaign. After spending one season as an assistant coach at Florida's Nova Southeastern University, Haggenjos returned to DePauw as an assistant coach and helped the Tigers to a 34-0 record and the program's second national championship.

Haggenjos believes she is ready to now lead her own basketball program.

"I am thrilled with the opportunity to be leading this basketball program," said Haggenjos. "I've enjoyed my experiences as a player and assistant coach at DePauw, Kris Huffman has been a great mentor and friend, and I honestly didn't know if an opportunity like this one (at Franklin College) was going to come. I am ecstatic to get started."

At DePauw, Haggenjos has mentored three All-Americans, and served on a coaching staff that posted 20-win seasons, captured eight conference championships and made 10 appearances to the NCAA Division III tournament.

Haggenjos believes that similar success is in the future at Franklin.

"The sky is the limit here at Franklin," noted Haggenjos. "History has shown that Franklin is one of the top programs in the Heartland Conference and Great Lakes region. I am familiar with the team's players after facing Franklin last season. They gave us a great challenge. There's a lot of potential here, and I know we can take this program to the next level."

Haggenjos earned a bachelor's degree in kinesiology from DePauw in 2003, and received a master's degree in recreation and sports management from Indiana State University in 2006. She is a member of the WBCA.

Franklin is coming a 14-13 season and has reached the 20-win plateau in two of the past three seasons.