FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Mark Albanese, Assistant Sports Information Director, 630-637-5302
Jun. 2, 2010-- The North Central College athletic department is proud to announce the hiring of Michelle Roof as the Cardinals' new head coach for the women's basketball program.
“I am appreciative of the opportunity and excited about the potential of the Cardinal basketball program. North Central has all the tools and resources to be successful, and I look forward to competing in the always-strong College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin," said Roof.
Roof becomes the program's 10th head coach, replacing Kendra Hunter who stepped down after two years at the helm where she compiled a 17-33 mark and led the Cardinals to their first ever appearance in the CCIW Tournament in 2008-09.
Roof comes to North Central after serving as the head coach at Aurora University the previous five seasons where she compiled a mark of 70-61. Roof began her stint with the Spartans in 2005-06, guiding the squad to a 14-13 finish, doubling the team's win total from the previous season before posting a 17-9 mark in 2006-07, finishing second in the inaugural season of the Northern Athletics Conference. Her squad would compile a 17-10 record in 2008-09, placing second in the NAC South Division.
Prior to Aurora, Roof served as an assistant coach at Lewis University during the 2004-05 campaign, helping the Flyers tie a program record for conference wins in a season and make their first trip to the NCAA Division II Tournament since the 1997-98 season. Roof additionally spent two years as an assistant at Saint Mary’s University (Minn.), where she was the recruiting coordinator for the Cardinals. In addition to her coaching responsibilities at Saint Mary’s, she directed the “Lil’ Cardinals” youth basketball club and clinics. Roof also spent one season as an assistant coach at Grinnell College ( Iowa).
A Peoria, Ill. Native, Roof played two seasons at Division I Eastern Illinois University before spending a season as a student assistant coach for the Panthers. She also was a student assistant coach at University of Wisconsin-La Crosse for one season.
A member of the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA), Roof has worked at several national camps, including University of Tennessee, Doug Bruno – DePaul basketball camps, Syracuse University, Texas Tech University, and the University of Wisconsin.
Roof received her Bachelor of Science in physical education in 2001 from Eastern Illinois University.
North Central closed out the 2009-2010 season with a 5-20 overall record, including a 2-12 mark within the CCIW.