Staff Directory
Maria Marchesano
- Title:
- Head Coach
- Email:
- Phone:
- (260) 481-6970
Maria Marchesano (pronounced mar-kuh-SAH-no) was named the head coach of the Purdue Fort Wayne women's basketball on March 30, 2021.
Marchesano is a native of Fort Wayne. She attended Butler University and graduated in 2005 with a bachelor's degree in integrated communications. She received her master's degree in athletics administration from Northcentral University in 2013.
• Horizon League Coach of the Year (1): 2024-25
• All-Horizon League First Team (2): Amellia Bromenschenkel (2023-24), Lauren Ross (2024-25)
• All-Horizon League Second Team (2): Amellia Bromenschenkel (2024-25), Sydney Freeman (2024-25)
• All-Horizon League Third Team (3): Shayla Sellers (2021-22, 2023-24), Amellia Bromenschenkel (2022-23)
• Horizon League All-Defensive Team (1): Shayla Sellers (2022-23)
• Horizon League All-Freshman Team (3): Ryin Ott (2021-22), Renna Schwieterman (2023-24), Erin Woodson (2023-24)
• Horizon League All-Academic Team (3): Riley Ott (2021-22, 2022-23), Audra Emmerson (2023-24)
• Horizon League Newcomer of the Year (1): Lauren Ross (2024-25)
• Horizon League Sixth Player of the Year (1): Jordan Reid (2024-25)
• Horizon League Sportsmanship Award (1): Jazzlyn Linbo (2024-25)
• Horizon League Championship All-Tournament Team (2): Amellia Bromenschenkel (2024-25), Sydney Freeman (2024-25)
• Horizon League Player of the Week (4): Shayla Sellers (11/20/23), Amellia Bromenschenkel (11/27/23), Lauren Ross (12/9/2024, 1/20/25)
• Horizon League Freshman of the Week (10): Ryin Ott (11/15/2021, 11/22/21), Renna Schwieterman (12/5/23, 1/2/24), Erin Woodson (12/18/23, 12/26/23, 1/29/24, 2/26/24), Taeya Steinauer (12/16/24, 1/6/2025)
• DI-AAA Athletics Directors Association Scholar-Athlete Team (1): Lauren Ross (2024-25)
• College Sports Communicators Academic All-America Second Team (1): Lauren Ross (2024-25)
• College Sports Communicators Academic All-District (12): Ryin Ott (2022-23), Riley Ott (2022-23), Audra Emmerson (2022-23, 2023-24, 2024-25), Amellia Bromenschenkel (2022-23, 2023-24, 2024-25), Sydney Graber (2023-24), Shayla Sellers (2023-24), Jordan Reid (2024-25), Lauren Ross (2024-25)
• Northeast Conference Coach of the Year (1)%: 2021
• Northeast Conference Player of the Year (1)%: Kendall Bresee (2020-21)
• Northeast Conference Defensive Player of the Year (1): Kendall Bresee (2021)
• All-Northeast Conference First Team (2)%: Michaela Harrison (2020), Kendall Bresee (2021)
• All-Northeast Conference Second Team (2)%: Juliette Lawless (2019), Michaela Harrison (2021)
• All-Northeast Conference Third Team (3)%: Juliette Lawless (2018), Kendall Bresee (2020), Aryna Taylor (2021)
• Northeast Conference All-Rookie Team (3)%: Daly Sullivan (2018), Michaela Harrison (2019), Jessica Tomasetti (2021)
• Northeast Conference Most Improved Player (1)%: Juliette Lawless (2018)
• Northeast Conference Player of the Week (9)%: Ashlee White (12/11/17), Michaela Harrison (11/26/18, 2/22/21), Juliette Lawless (12/3/18, 1/30/19), Kendall Bresee (12/9/2019, 1/11/21, 2/1/21, 3/3/21),
• Northeast Conference Rookie of the Week (10)%: Daly Sullivan (12/26/17), Michaela Harrison (11/26/18, 12/10/18, 1/23/19, 1/30/19, 2/6/19, 2/27/19), Aryna Taylor (12/2/19), Isabella Hunt (1/26/21), Jessica Tomasetti (2/22/21)
• All-Summit League First Team (1)#: Danielle Lawrence (2017)
• All-Summit League Second Team (1)#: Mikale Rogers (2017)
• All-Summit League Honorable Mention (1)#: Sydney Hall (2017)
• Summit League All-Academic Team (1)#: Jenna Gunn (2017)
• Summit League Player of the Week (4)#: Mikale Rogers (12/5/16, 12/26/16, 1/30/17), Danielle Lawrence (2/13/17)
• Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference All-Academic Team (6)*: Whitney Dabbelt (2015), Brooke Morgan (2015), Allison Butler (2016), Dominique Foley (2016), Holly Grober (2016), Rachael Trujillo (2016)
• All-Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference First Team (1)*: Kelsey Funderburgh (2016)
• All-Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Second Team (2)*: Kelsey Funderburgh (2015), Brooklyn Wooten (2016)
• All-Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Defensive Team (2)*: Jalynn Graham (2015, 2016)
• Division II Independent Coach of the Year (1)^: 2012
^ at Urbana
* at Walsh
# at IUPUI
% at Mount St. Mary's
As Head Coach (2021-present)
• Named Horizon League Coach of the Year in 2024-25
• Guided Purdue Fort Wayne to the Women's National Invitational Tournament Super 16 in 2023-24 and Great 8 in 2024-25
• Led her program to the Horizon League semifinal three years in a row and the championship game in 2025
• Won two league postseason games in 2022-23 for the first time in program history
• Coached Lauren Ross to become the first player in NCAA history to lead the country in 3-point percentage and free throw percentage
• Set new program records in 2024-25 in points, field goals, 3-pointers, rebounds, steals, wins, consecutive wins, home wins, road wins and wins away from home
• Led the 'Dons on a 17-game winning streak in 2024-25, the longest in program history
• Amellia Bromenschenkel earned first First Team All-League honor for the program since 2013-14
• Led Amellia Bromenschenkel and Shayla Sellers to All-League selections in 2022-23
• 2022-23 team had the most league wins since 2020-11 and most wins overall since 2013-14
• Led Ryin Ott and Shayla Sellers to All-League selections in 2021-22
• 2021-22 team had the second-best free throw percentage in the country at 81.9 percent, which was also a program record
• Led the Mastodons to significant improvements in several statistics, including points per game (53.7-60.1), free throw percentage (71.4-81.9), assists per game (9.5-12.7) and 3-point percentage (25.0-32.5) in her first season
• In 2021-22, she pushed the Mastodons to their most wins since 2014-15 and most league wins since 2013-14
As Head Coach (2017-21)
• 2021 Northeast Conference Coach of the Year
• 2021 Northeast Conference Regular Season Champion
• 2021 Northeast Conference Tournament Champion
• 2021 NCAA Tournament berth
• Led the Mount to nine straight wins in 2019-20, the longest in 21 years
• Coached Kendall Bresee, the 2021 Northeast Conference Player of the Year
As Associate Head Coach (2016-17)
• Guided the Jaguars to most wins in program history, going 24-9
• 2017 Women's National Invitation Tournament berth
• First appearance in Summit League championship game since 2008
• Coached three All-Summit League honorees and one Academic All-Summit League member
As Head Coach (2013-16)
• Back-to-back 20-win seasons in 2014-15 and 2015-16
• Two GLIAC Tournament Final Four appearances
• Won three-straight Mayor's Cup titles
• Beat Division I foes Butler and Kent State
• Hosted a GLIAC Tournament game for the first time in program history
• Upset No. 3 Ashland in 2015-16 for the highest-ranked win in program history
As Head Coach (2011-13)
• 2012 Division II Independent Coach of the Year
• Took over the program midway through the 2011-12 season
• Inherited a 2-8 team, then led the Knights to 12-7 in their last 19 games
• Led the Knights to an eight-game home winning streak
• Qualified for 2012 Division II Ohio Independent Championship
• 2013 G-MAC Tournament Championship
As Assistant Coach (2010-12)
• Served as assistant coach for both women's basketball and softball teams
At Butler (2001-05)
• Lettered four years at Butler
• Played in 28 games in her senior season with three starts
• Butler Freshman Female Athlete of the Year
• Horizon League All-Newcomer Team
• Received Butler Team Community Service Award
• Finished her career as the second-best 3-point shooter in program history at 41.8 percent
• Also played one season of softball
| Year | School | Position | Overall Record | Conference Record | Conference (Postseason) |
| 2010-11 | Manchester | Assistant Coach | 14-13 | 12-8 | Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference |
| 2011-12 | Manchester | Assistant Coach | 7-4 | 3-1 | Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference |
| 2011-12 | Urbana | Head Coach | 12-7 | 0-0 | Division II Independent |
| 2012-13 | Urbana | Head Coach | 15-15 | 6-2 | Great Midwest Athletic Conference |
| 2013-14 | Walsh | Head Coach | 12-16 | 8-14 | Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference |
| 2014-15 | Walsh | Head Coach | 20-10 | 13-9 | Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference |
| 2015-16 | Walsh | Head Coach | 20-9 | 16-6 | Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference |
| 2016-17 | IUPUI | Associate Head Coach | 24-9 | 12-4 | Summit League (WNIT First Round) |
| 2017-18 | Mount St. Mary's | Head Coach | 9-20 | 6-12 | Northeast Conference |
| 2018-19 | Mount St. Mary's | Head Coach | 15-16 | 8-10 | Northeast Conference |
| 2019-20 | Mount St. Mary's | Head Coach | 20-11 | 14-4 | Northeast Conference |
| 2020-21 | Mount St. Mary's | Head Coach | 17-7* | 14-4 | Northeast Conference (NCAA Tournament First Round) |
| 2021-22 | Purdue Fort Wayne | Head Coach | 9-21 | 7-14 | Horizon League |
| 2022-23 | Purdue Fort Wayne | Head Coach | 14-19 | 9-11 | Horizon League |
| 2023-24 | Purdue Fort Wayne | Head Coach | 23-13 | 13-7 | Horizon League (WNIT Super 16) |
| 2024-25 | Purdue Fort Wayne | Head Coach | 27-9 | 18-2 | Horizon League (WNIT Great 8) |
| Totals | 258-199 (.565) | 159-108 (.596) | *Tournament Champion | ||
| Totals as Head Coach | 213-173 (.552) | 132-95 (.582) | |||
Mikale Stevenson #SCTop10 dunk
Tuesday, October 28
PFW MBB vs Ball State Post game and Highlights
Tuesday, October 28
Corey Hadnot II is back from the Waffle House
Thursday, October 09
'Dons at the Waffle House
Tuesday, October 07
