GRAND FORKS, N.D. -  As the whistles blow, shoes squeak, and balls bounce on the court, one familiar face continues to be a presence at the Betty Engelstad Sioux Center.

Mallory Bernhard (Youngblut), current head coach of the North Dakota women's basketball team, became the first alum to become head coach in the history of the program.

Bernhard first stepped foot on the North Dakota campus as a student-athlete in 2006. Originally from Davenport, Iowa, she was brought in by Coach Gene Roebuck as a forward for the then Fighting Sioux.
She made her first appearance on the court after using a redshirt during her freshman year. In her next season, she appeared in all 31 games. Bernhard (Youngblut) made an immediate impact to the team with an average of 6.6 points per game while ranking 10^th in the NCC in three-point field goal percentage and three-point field goals made.

Bernhard (Youngblut) finished her five-year playing career at North Dakota ranked 15th all-time with 1,307 career points. The 29th player in program history to join the 1,000 Point Club, she ranked third in career free-throw percentage (81.6), fifth in career three-pointers made (220) and attempted (573), and 10th in career steals (175) and  career three-point field goal percentage (.380).

Her journey to becoming the head coach of her collegiate alma mater began as she returned to her high school alma mater, Davenport Assumption, as the head coach. Since then, Bernhard (Youngblut) returned to North Dakota as an assistant, later associate head coach and now the head of the program.

Coach Bernhard (Youngblut) reflects on her time as an athlete and the opportunity she has had to use those experiences to become the leader of her alma mater in the following interview with our communications department.

Q: What was the transition from DII to DI like as an athlete?

A: When I look back at my time as an athlete, the first thing that comes to mind is some of the crazy travel we had back then! It felt like we were all over the country from corner to corner. It was not easy at times knowing that we would not get the opportunity to play post season but that made us fight even harder for each other and for everyone that came before us. It pushed us to leave it all on the floor in every game we played. Our regular season was our tournament, and we treated it that way.

Looking back now, it is special to say I was a part of the group that helped us transition to the level we are now. We still have many goals to accomplish at the Division I level, but it all starts somewhere and to be a part of where the Division I history began is something unique my teammates and I will uniquely have forever.

Q: At which point did you decide that you wanted to coach the sport you had played for most of your life?

A: I always knew I wanted to get into coaching, it was something I always enjoyed. In high school I coached a couple grade school teams then all throughout college I was doing some sort of coaching, whether it was summer travel ball, fall league here in Grand Forks, and I even coached some softball in the summers. I knew coaching was something I always loved and my way of staying involved and continuing to be a part of a team.

Q: Did you ever think that you would return to North Dakota as a coach?

A: I had hoped to. When I took the high school coaching job right out of college, I was honestly thinking that I would only be there for 3-4 years in hopes that I would get a collegiate coaching opportunity. Fortunately, that happened and here at UND!

Q: How do you think playing at UND influences your experience as head coach and your coaching style?

A: I think I value the tradition of our great program so much because I played for Coach Roebuck. I heard so many stories of his past players and teams, and I was lucky to meet many of them during my time as a player. Now as a coach, I make sure we honor our program's rich tradition. We talk about how this program grew and what the players, coaches and teams before us have done to give us the opportunities we now have.

As for coaching style, one of the first things Coach Roebuck said to me was to be myself and not to try and be anyone else in this role, be true to me. So, I think my coaching style is more reflective of who I am as a person, but who I am was very heavily influenced by my time as a player here.

Q: You are the first alum to become head coach in the history of the program, how does that make you feel?

A: It was an honor to be a part of this program as a player and a huge honor to now be the head coach. I have a deep love for this program and do not take the responsibility lightly. I had an unbelievable five years here as a player, and I hope every young woman that chooses UND leaves here with the same love and passion for this school that I did.

Q: What is one thing that made North Dakota special as a student-athlete and makes it special as you have transitioned to becoming the head coach?

A: Grand Forks and the people who support the University are absolutely what make it so special. I visited several places as I was making my college decision and there was just a different and special feel about things here. The community, the fans and just everyone surrounding the program make it special. That has not changed one bit from being a student-athlete to a coach. The people and the fan support are second to none.