GRAND FORKS, N.D. – University of North Dakota head women's basketball coach announced the completion of her staff on Wednesday with the addition of John Motherwell as an assistant coach/recruiting coordinator.
"Adding Mo back to our staff completes us in many ways," said Bernhard. "He is an exceptional coach and recruiter. Our program and roster have his fingerprints all over it and I could not be more excited to bring him back to continue helping raise the bar for this program. It is important when putting together a staff to surround yourself with coaches that have strengths in different areas. Coach Mo absolutely fulfills a need for our staff, and for me personally has been instrumental in helping me grow."
Motherwell, previously an assistant coach with the program from 2010-11 and an associate head coach from 2018-23, returns to North Dakota following a brief stint at Central Michigan in the same role.
The Michigan native helped guide North Dakota to one of its best seasons in recent memory during the 2022-23 campaign, with the Fighting Hawks finishing with a 19-13 overall record and an 11-7 mark in Summit League play to finish third in the standings. Following a tough loss in the Summit League Quarterfinals, NoDak advanced to the Women's Basketball Invitational (WBI) to reach a postseason tournament for the first time since 2017.
He assisted in a pair of Fighting Hawks earning all-conference honors last season, with Kacie Borowicz being selected to the All-Summit League First Team for the second straight year while Claire Orth was named to the league's all-defensive team. Motherwell also helped see the development of Nakiyah Hurst and Rakiyah Beal, the program's first four-star recruits.
Motherwell lettered in football at Eastern Michigan before eventually earning his bachelor's degree from Michigan in 1995. He is married to his wife, Sherri, and they have two kids, Annie and Joe.
For more information on North Dakota women's basketball, follow on social media @UNDwbasketball or visit FightingHawks.com.
