Olivia Campbell Advances Career Aspirations at Coaching Workshop
Olivia Campbell, a graduate assistant coach for Wittenberg Women’s Basketball who aspires to become a coach in the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA), recently attended the 23rd annual “So You Want to be a Coach” program, sponsored by the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA).
Campbell, from Vanceburg, Kentucky, and a graduate of Lewis County High School, earned her undergraduate degree in sport management from Wittenberg in May 2025 and is now pursuing a master’s degree in sport administration. It was the second year in a row that a Wittenberg graduate student was chosen to attend the event after Payton Cronen, who was a transfer student using her fifth year of eligibility to play basketball for Wittenberg in the 2024-25 season while pursuing her master’s degree, attended last year.
“I have been a member of the WBCA for over 20 years and am thankful for their guidance and mentorship for women's basketball,” said Melissa Kolbe, women’s head basketball coach. “The ‘So’ Program is developing the next generation of leaders and coaches in our sport. It is a testament to our program that we have had ‘So’ participants in back-to-back years.
“Olivia has seamlessly made the transition from player to coach in the past 18 months,” Kolbe added. “She has done a great job connecting with and pouring into our current players while also working to recruit future Tigers. I look forward to Olivia bringing the lessons she learned in the So Program to help grow our program.”
The “So” program increases the understanding and application of skills necessary to secure coaching positions in women’s basketball, increases the understanding and awareness of competencies necessary for success in coaching, introduces female basketball players to coaches and administrators, and raises awareness of the existing talent pool of female basketball players who have a passion and interest in coaching the game of women’s basketball. Campbell attended the two-day workshop on April 3-4 during the WBCA Convention in Phoenix, Arizona.
“My highlights from attending the workshop were meeting 64 young women who share aspirations of coaching, along with the women who are in the field and have led the way,” said Campbell, who will earn her master’s degree in 2027. “Some of the important lessons I learned included the value of character, how to build a culture that fosters the growth and success of young women, and the tools I need for personal development within my field.
Campbell said attending the “So Program” has added to the valuable knowledge she has gained as a Wittenberg student, both as an undergraduate for two years and in her first year pursuing a master’s degree.
“I have gained valuable networking experience through the Sport Management Department’s Practitioner’s Day, required volunteer time, along with the engaging and interactive learning environments,” she said. “I also cannot thank my mentors from the Department of Athletics enough for pouring their time and investments into my development.”
Qualified candidates must have exhausted their final year of basketball eligibility at a four-year institution or have graduated within the past year and must be nominated by their WBCA-member head coach. Each participant is selected based on academics, contributions to women’s basketball on and off the court, professional resume, and a written recommendation from their head coach.
Each attendee learned about the administrative side of coaching, recruiting, how to get hired, skill development, the importance of knowing the rules, and how to balance work and life at the convention.
Visit WBCA.org for more information on the “So” program.
About the WBCA
The Women's Basketball Coaches Association is the professional association for coaches of women's and girls' basketball at all levels of competition. Founded in 1981, the WBCA offers educational resources that coaches need to help make themselves better leaders, teachers and mentors to their players; provides opportunities for coaches to connect with peers in the profession; serves as the unifying voice of coaches to those organizations that control the game; and celebrates those coaches, players and other individuals who excel each year and contribute to the advancement of the sport. Visit WBCA.org for more details about the association.
Written By: Cindy Holbrook