TicketsThe first addition to head coach Michelle Clark-Heard’s inaugural University of Cincinnati women’s basketball coaching staff was announced on April 3, 2018 as Melissa Kolbe was named an assistant coach. Kolbe was promoted to associate head coach in April of 2019.
With nearly two decades of NCAA Division I coaching experience, Kolbe came to UC after spending three seasons on Clark-Heard’s staff at WKU. Previously, her coaching stints included stops at Mount Saint Mary’s (2014-15), Eastern Kentucky (2008-14), ECU (2002-08), Mercer (2001-02), and Valdosta State (1999-2001).
During the 2020-21 season, she helped coach AAC Player of the Year IImar’I Thomas, who received all 50 voting points from the league's coaches to be the only conference player to earn unanimous First Team All-AAC honors for the second consecutive season. Thomas also earned national player of the week honors from the Unites States Basketball Writers Association (USBWA) after she set the UC women's basketball record and the AAC record for most points in a game when she poured in 51 points to go with 12 rebounds at East Carolina on Feb. 24. The effort still stands as the most points in a Division I men's or women's basketball game this season. She joined Oscar Robertson as the only two player in UC history to score 50 or points in a game.
Her second season with the Bearcats (2019-20) produced many big moments for the program, including a 22-10 record overall and 11-5 record in the American. The team finished tied for second, UC’s best league finish in its seven-year membership in the AAC. Seeded third in the tournament, the Bearcats reached the final for the first time in the AAC as well as their first final appearance since the 2003 Conference USA Championship game. Additionally, the Bearcats finished the year 14-3 at home with a 12-game winning streak at Fifth Third Arena as well.
In her first season under Coach Heard 2018-19, the team finished with 24 wins -- the most victories in a new coaching regime’s first season in program history, and the most triumphs in 17 years (27 in 2001-02). The Red & Black’s historic accomplishments also included the first time with consecutive postseason wins in program history (WNIT quarterfinals), its first 20-win season since 2003, first time with 12 conference wins since 1999, (at the time) highest-ever finish in the American (third place), and first time with three or more regular-season conference honorees since 2003 (Thomas - First Team All-AAC, Miller - Second Team All-AAC, Florence Sifa - Newcomer of the Year).
While at WKU, Kolbe helped guide the Lady Toppers to 78 total wins, two Conference USA Tournament Championships, and back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances in just three years.
Prior, she spent a season as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at Mount St. Mary’s under head coach Bryan Whitten. Before that, Kolbe was on staff at EKU, serving as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator from 2008-2014. She aided in the Colonels’ back-to-back winning seasons in 2012-13 and 2013-14 before helping the program to its first-ever trip to the Women's Basketball Postseason Invitational (WBI) in 2014.
Previously, Kolbe worked as an assistant coach at ECU for six seasons from 2002-08. In her first season in Greenville, North Carolina, the Pirates made the C-USA Tournament for the first time. The most successful season for the Pirates during the six-year span came in 2006-07 when ECU won its first C-USA Tournament Championship to earn its second-ever ticket to the NCAA Tournament and its first in 25 years.
Kolbe spent the 2001-02 season serving as an assistant coach at Mercer, helping the Bears to a 16-13 record. In her only season in Macon, Georgia, Kolbe contributed to Mercer's 10-win improvement from the previous season, which was the biggest turnaround in the NCAA during that season.
Beginning her coaching career at Valdosta State in 1999, Kolbe spent two seasons at the NCAA Division II institution before making the jump to Division I at Mercer in 2001.
Kolbe, a native of Cleveland, Ohio, graduated from Wittenberg in 1999 with a degree in psychology. As a player for the Tigers, she helped lead the team to three conference championships and two NCAA Tournament trips.
With nearly two decades of NCAA Division I coaching experience, Kolbe came to UC after spending three seasons on Clark-Heard’s staff at WKU. Previously, her coaching stints included stops at Mount Saint Mary’s (2014-15), Eastern Kentucky (2008-14), ECU (2002-08), Mercer (2001-02), and Valdosta State (1999-2001).
During the 2020-21 season, she helped coach AAC Player of the Year IImar’I Thomas, who received all 50 voting points from the league's coaches to be the only conference player to earn unanimous First Team All-AAC honors for the second consecutive season. Thomas also earned national player of the week honors from the Unites States Basketball Writers Association (USBWA) after she set the UC women's basketball record and the AAC record for most points in a game when she poured in 51 points to go with 12 rebounds at East Carolina on Feb. 24. The effort still stands as the most points in a Division I men's or women's basketball game this season. She joined Oscar Robertson as the only two player in UC history to score 50 or points in a game.
Her second season with the Bearcats (2019-20) produced many big moments for the program, including a 22-10 record overall and 11-5 record in the American. The team finished tied for second, UC’s best league finish in its seven-year membership in the AAC. Seeded third in the tournament, the Bearcats reached the final for the first time in the AAC as well as their first final appearance since the 2003 Conference USA Championship game. Additionally, the Bearcats finished the year 14-3 at home with a 12-game winning streak at Fifth Third Arena as well.
In her first season under Coach Heard 2018-19, the team finished with 24 wins -- the most victories in a new coaching regime’s first season in program history, and the most triumphs in 17 years (27 in 2001-02). The Red & Black’s historic accomplishments also included the first time with consecutive postseason wins in program history (WNIT quarterfinals), its first 20-win season since 2003, first time with 12 conference wins since 1999, (at the time) highest-ever finish in the American (third place), and first time with three or more regular-season conference honorees since 2003 (Thomas - First Team All-AAC, Miller - Second Team All-AAC, Florence Sifa - Newcomer of the Year).
While at WKU, Kolbe helped guide the Lady Toppers to 78 total wins, two Conference USA Tournament Championships, and back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances in just three years.
Prior, she spent a season as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at Mount St. Mary’s under head coach Bryan Whitten. Before that, Kolbe was on staff at EKU, serving as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator from 2008-2014. She aided in the Colonels’ back-to-back winning seasons in 2012-13 and 2013-14 before helping the program to its first-ever trip to the Women's Basketball Postseason Invitational (WBI) in 2014.
Previously, Kolbe worked as an assistant coach at ECU for six seasons from 2002-08. In her first season in Greenville, North Carolina, the Pirates made the C-USA Tournament for the first time. The most successful season for the Pirates during the six-year span came in 2006-07 when ECU won its first C-USA Tournament Championship to earn its second-ever ticket to the NCAA Tournament and its first in 25 years.
Kolbe spent the 2001-02 season serving as an assistant coach at Mercer, helping the Bears to a 16-13 record. In her only season in Macon, Georgia, Kolbe contributed to Mercer's 10-win improvement from the previous season, which was the biggest turnaround in the NCAA during that season.
Beginning her coaching career at Valdosta State in 1999, Kolbe spent two seasons at the NCAA Division II institution before making the jump to Division I at Mercer in 2001.
Kolbe, a native of Cleveland, Ohio, graduated from Wittenberg in 1999 with a degree in psychology. As a player for the Tigers, she helped lead the team to three conference championships and two NCAA Tournament trips.