La Crosse, Wis. - UW-La Crosse Intercollegiate Athletics is giving fans an opportunity to get to know its 16 head coaches during the 2019-20 season.  We thank all 16 of the Eagles' head coaches for participating.  Our head coach being recognized today is women's basketball's Karen Middleton. 

Middleton completed her fourth season as UWL's head coach in 2019-20.  She is 73-34 (.682) overall, including 38-18 (.679) in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC).  UWL finished 19-8 overall and 10-4 in the WIAC this season.  The Eagles tied for second in the WIAC standings in 2019-20 and advanced to the conference championship semifinals for the fourth straight year under Middleton.  UWL made its fifth appearance, and first since 2010-11, in earning an at-large bid to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III Tournament.  

UWL finished 22-5 overall and 10-4 in the WIAC in 2018-19, recording its most overall wins since going 22-7 in 1987-88.  The Eagles' 10 league wins were the most since finishing 12-4 in 2010-11.  The team went 16-10 overall and 9-5 in the WIAC in 2017-18 under Middleton while finishing 16-11 overall and 9-5 in the conference in Middleton's first season in 2016-17.  The Eagles recorded their most overall (16) and conference (9) wins since finishing 16-10 overall and 9-7 in the league in 2011-12.  UWL made its first appearance in the tournament semifinals since 2011 in 2017 while earning its highest seed (second) in school history in 2018. 

Ten All-WIAC honors have been earned under Middleton's tutelage at UWL. 

Middleton served as associate head coach at Cal State Fullerton University in 2015-16, overseeing the day-to-day aspects of the women's basketball program for the Titans.  Prior to working at Cal State Fullerton, Middleton was the head women's basketball coach at Western Carolina University (Cullowhee, North Carolina) for six years from 2009-15.  She spent two years as an assistant coach at the University of Illinois from 2007-09 and served as an assistant coach at Stanford University (Calif.) from 1997-2007 under head coach Tara VanDerveer.  The Cardinal won eight Pac-10 conference titles and earned 10 consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances, including four Sweet Sixteens and three Elite Eights.  Middleton coached three Kodak All-Americans and two Pac-10 Players of the Year.  Prior to arriving at Stanford, Middleton was an assistant coach at Eastern Washington University for three years (1994-97) and for two years at South Carolina (1992-94).  A member of the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA), Middleton was on the USA Basketball Olympic Festival Trails Staff in 1993 and the USA Basketball National Team Training Camp Staff in 1994. 

Middleton graduated cum laude from the University of South Carolina in 1991 with a Bachelor of Arts in elementary education while earning her Interdisciplinary Master of Arts in physical education in 1993 from South Carolina.  She started her coaching career at her alma mater as a volunteer assistant (1991-92).  Middleton played for the Gamecocks for four years, scoring over 1,700 career points and setting a single-season school record with 115 three-point field goals made. She was a team captain and most valuable player and earned All-Metro Conference honors

Middleton was joined by assistant coaches Jonelle Streed, Alyssa Clemment, Bobbi Vandenberg and MaKenzie Miller along with student manager Jack Heller in 2019-20.

Karen Middleton

Your hometown?  Jefferson, South Carolina.  

Favorite food?  Mexican is my favorite! Especially, chips and salsa.   

Favorite hobby?  Music, friends, and a fire pit!

Favorite Inspirational Quote?  Attitude and Effort - with a positive attitude and great effort you can accomplish anything.

The thing you most like about the Coulee Region?  We have it all!  The people are welcoming, the scenery is gorgeous, downtown has everything you may want or need, and UWL is in the middle of it all.

Your favorite coaching memory?  Receiving a NCAA bid this past season!

Your favorite memory as a student-athlete?  Winning championships and playing in the NCAA all four years.

Your sports role model?  Larry Bird.

Favorite book?  Anything by Nicholas Sparks.

Favorite emoji?  

Favorite vacation spot?  North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

Favorite band or song?  Band - Lady Antebellum; Song – More Than a Feeling by Boston.