Lander University Women's Basketball

Nicole Shelwick was named the 12th head coach in Lander University women’s basketball history on May 30, 2024. In her first season at the helm, Shelwick guided the Bearcats to a 14-13 overall record and an 8-10 mark in Peach Belt Conference play, advancing to the conference semifinals. Under her leadership, Lander produced two All-Peach Belt selections — Quadaija Langley (First Team) and Shcira Fowles (Third Team). Langley also earned spots on the PBC All-Tournament Team and the D2CCA All-Region Second Team. Shelwick came to Greenwood after a successful stint as the associate head coach and recruiting coordinator at Division I Detroit Mercy that saw the Titans finish the season with 17 wins, the most by the program since 2017. The 17 wins marked a 12-win turnaround from her first year in the Motor City as in the prior six seasons the Titans had only won 19 games total. The Titans also earned their first postseason win under Shelwick's guidance as they bear Robert Morris, 59-48, in the Horizon League Tournament. In her first season at Detroit Mercy, the Titans beat IUPUI, the defending conference champions, for the first time in program history and saw the coaching staff's first recruit, Amaya Busch, earn Horizon League All-Freshman team honors. Nicole moved to Detroit with head coach Kate Archer after a season at Loyola-Chicago. During her year with the Ramblers, Shelwick helped guide the team to their most wins since 1988-89 and as the team's defensive coordinator, oversaw the 12th-ranked three-point defense, the 25th-ranked scoring defense, and the 37th-ranked field goal defense. The Ramblers had two players earn All-Conference honors and Maya Chandler earned the Missouri Valley Conference's Freshman of the Year Award. Prior to her time at Loyola, Shelwick was the Head Coach at Indiana University Kokomo, leading the team to a 54-41 overall record and a River States Conference (RSC) West Division Title in 2018-19. Shelwick coached seven All-RSC players, including an NAIA All-American in Deja Felder. Off the court, Shelwick's teams had a perfect graduation rate and had 93% retention year over year. In addition to her head coaching duties with the Cougars, Shelwick served as the Assistant Athletic Director and Senior Women's Administrator which saw her oversee all Title IX and diversity and inclusion initiatives for the department. Prior to her time at IU Kokomo, she was the head coach at Massasoit Community College in Brockton, Mass. where she lead the Warriors to a runner-up finish in the MCCAC Tournament and an appearance in the NJCAA Region 21 Semifinals. Shelwick started her head coaching career in 2015 at the College of St. Elizabeth where she led the Eagles to 10 conference wins despite being hired just over two weeks prior to the start of the season. Prior to her first head coaching job, Shelwick served as an assistant at the University of Arkansas at Monticello during the 2014-15 season, helping lead the Cotton Blossoms to their first winning season since 2008-09 and the program's first postseason win as member's of the Great American Conference. Shelwick opened her coaching career as a Graduate Assistant at Central Methodist before being promoted to a full-time assistant after helping guide the Eagles to their best start in program history at 16-1 and saw the team ranked as high as 17th and earn their first NAIA National Tournament bid in program history. Shelwick was a two-sport athlete while earning her Bachelor of Art in Communications at Belhaven University in 2010 before earning a Master of Education and Administration from Central Methodist in 2014. Shelwick has two sons, Jacobi and Jacori. What they are saying: "Lander got an absolute star with Nicole.  She is hard working, thorough, and the perfect combination of old and new school.  She will do incredible things for the Bearcat women's basketball program and will also be an asset to the entire Greenwood community." - James Arnold, Director of Athletics/Head Women's Basketball Coach - Columbia College (Mo.)  

Michael Morrison enters his first season on the Bearcats’ coaching staff ahead of the 2025-26 season. Morrison, a Washington, D.C., native, comes to Lander with more than a decade of professional playing experience and over 15 years in coaching. A 2007 graduate of Loyola University Maryland with a degree in mass communications, he was a two-year team captain and two-time All-MAAC First Team selection. He became the first player in program history to be drafted into the NBA when he was selected 24th overall in the second round by the Phoenix Suns. He went on to play five seasons in the NBA with the Suns, Washington Wizards, Dallas Mavericks, Philadelphia 76ers, and Orlando Magic before competing overseas for nine years. Following his playing career, Morrison moved into coaching and has spent more than a decade developing players at both the high school and collegiate levels. He spent the past three seasons as associate head coach for the Erskine College men's program. Before that, he was the head men's coach at J.L. Mann High School and the head women's coach at St. Joseph's High School. He also served as an assistant men's coach at Laurens, Greenville, and Eastside high schools, helping guide Eastside to an Upper State 4A Region championship in 2017. "I'm excited about the opportunity to share my playing and coaching experience to help elevate a program already rooted in excellence," Morrison said. "Coach Colie is building something special that reflects the spirit of Greenwood, the pride of South Carolina, and the high standards that define Lander University." Head coach Shelwick said Morrison's experience and leadership will make an immediate impact on the program. "We are excited to welcome Michael Morrison to our staff," Shelwick said. "His depth of experience is invaluable, and his philosophy aligns seamlessly with our vision for the program's future. I am confident that our program as a whole will benefit from his contributions. We're excited to have him join the Bearcat family."

Kay Abriani, a former athlete of head coach Nicole Shelwick, joined the women's basketball staff in August 2024 and is entering her second season as the Graduate assistant coach.    Abriani, a native of Olympia, Wash., enters her first year as a graduate assistant at Lander University. Before Lander University, she attended Indiana University-Kokomo, where she played basketball from 2019 to 2023.     She earned her Bachelor's in Sociology from Indiana University-Kokomo and is pursuing a Master of Business Administration at Lander University.

Deegan Green is entering her first year as the assistant cheer coach for the Bearcats. A native of Landrum, S.C., Green transitions into coaching after a six-year career as a student-athlete with the Bearcats and nearly two years of professional experience in Lander athletics. Following her graduation, she served as the department’s administrative specialist for one and a half years before stepping into her first coaching role. As an athlete, Green helped Lander cheer achieve new heights, including a second-place finish at the Peach Belt Conference Spirit Competition in 2020, a CANAM championship in 2022, the “Go Be Great” Award at the 2023 NCA Collegiate National Championship, and three consecutive top-10 national finishes from 2022–24. “I had the privilege to coach Deegan for several years, and now I am honored to have her return to the team as a coach,” Schoolfield said. “I am looking forward to having her on this side of the mat.” Green graduated from Lander with a bachelor’s degree in business administration and later earned a Master of Business Administration, adding to her extensive ties to the university.