Dawn Plitzuweit Explained

Dawn Plitzuweit
Current Title:Head Coach
Current Team:Minnesota
Current Conference:Big Ten
Birth Date:31 October 1972
Birth Place:West Bend, Wisconsin
Player Years1:1990–1995
Player Team1:Michigan Tech
Coach Years1:1995–1998
Coach Team1:Michigan Tech (assistant)
Coach Years2:1998–2002
Coach Team2:Green Bay (assistant)
Coach Years3:2002–2007
Coach Team3:Grand Valley State
Coach Years4:2007–2012
Coach Team4:Michigan (assistant)
Coach Years5:2012–2016
Coach Team5:Northern Kentucky
Coach Years6:2016–2022
Coach Team6:South Dakota
Coach Years7:2022–2023
Coach Team7:West Virginia
Coach Years8:2023–present
Coach Team8:Minnesota
Championships:
Awards:As player:
  • GLIAC Player of the Year
  • 2× WBCA All-Academic (1994, 1995)
  • Michigan NCAA Woman of the Year Award (1995)
  • GLIAC Freshman of the Year (1991)

As coach:

Dawn Plitzuweit (born October 31, 1972) is an American basketball coach, currently the head women's basketball coach at the University of Minnesota.

Playing career

Plitzuweit attended Michigan Tech between 1990–1995, but did not play basketball during the 1991–92 season. In her freshman year she started all 29 games. Her sophomore year, 1992–93, played in all 33 games leading Michigan Tech to a record of 30–3 scoring 12.4 points a game, 2nd on the team. Her Junior year she, once again, played in all 28 games. Her senior year she played in 29 of the 30 games that year and would finish her career with a playing record of 99–22.

Michigan Tech statistics

YearTeamGPPointsFG%3P%FT%RPGAPGSPGBPGPPG
1990–91Michigan Tech29268.519.000.7277.14.02.90.09.2
1992–93Michigan Tech33408.529.500.6837.03.22.60.0212.4
1993–94Michigan Tech28340.474.130.6748.84.03.30.112.1
1994–95Michigan Tech30382.523.371.6786.13.52.20.112.7
Career1201,398.511.---.6906.03.72.80.111.6

Source:[2] [3] [4] [5]

Coaching career

Early coaching career

Plitzuweit started her career at her Alma mater, Michigan Tech, under her collegiate coach Kevin Borseth, and would continue to coach with him at Green Bay and then Michigan.[6]

Grand Valley State

Over her career five year career at Grand Valley State, Plitzuweit reached the NCAA Division II Tournament four of the five years. In 2006, Grand Valley State, with a record of 33–3, won the 2006 NCAA Division II Tournament over American International College 58–52.

Northern Kentucky

Left Michigan at the end of the 2012 season and accepted the head coaching job at Northern Kentucky.[7] Northern Kentucky would go on to reach the WBI in all four years making it to the second round only once.

South Dakota

On April 22, 2016, Plitzuweit became the South Dakota head coach. During her tenure, she led the team to an 158–36 overall record, tallying an 83–10 mark in conference play. Coach Plitzuweit led the Coyotes to three Summit League regular season titles, three consecutive Summit League Tournament Championships, and four straight NCAA tournament appearances including a trip to the Sweet 16 in 2022. Plitzuweit was selected as Summit League coach of the year 3 times in her tenure with the Coyotes. At the conclusion of her final season with the Coyotes, Plitzuweit was named the Kay Yow National Coach of the Year.

West Virginia

On March 31, 2022, Plitzuweit was hired as the head women's basketball coach at West Virginia University.[8]

Minnesota

On March 18, 2023, Plitzuweit was hired as the head women's basketball coach at the University of Minnesota, on a six-year contract.[9]

Personal life

Dawn is married and has a son and daughter.

Notes and References

  1. https://www.thesummitleague.org/RecordBook/WomensBasketball.pdf
  2. Web site: Michigan Tech Athletics.
  3. Web site: Michigan Tech Athletics.
  4. Web site: Michigan Tech Athletics.
  5. Web site: Michigan Tech Athletics.
  6. Web site: Dawn Plitzuweit – Women's Basketball Coach.
  7. Web site: Dawn of a new era: Plitzuweit selected as NKU women's basketball head coach.
  8. Web site: 2022-03-31 . South Dakota's Plitzuweit takes West Virginia job . 2024-08-16 . ESPN.com . en.
  9. Web site: Minnesota hires West Virginia's Plitzuweit to replace Whalen . . Dave . Campbell . March 18, 2023 . March 18, 2023.