Whitman College Women's Basketball

Michelle Ferenz has been the head coach for Whitman's women's basketball program since 2001 and is the winningest women's basketball coach in Northwest Conference history. Her program has qualified for the Northwest Conference postseason tournament each of the past 14 seasons and has led the Blues to the NCAA National Tournament eight times since 2013. Whitman Head Coaching Career (since 2001-2002 season) The Blues won the 2025 NWC Title with an undefeated league record (third time in program history) and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament The Blues won the 2023 NWC Title and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. The Blues won the 2022 NWC Title with an undefeated league record (second time in program history) and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament NCAA Sweet 16 appearance in 2020 before NCAA Tournament was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic Appeared in the NCAA Division III National Tournament in 2018, its second consecutive, after a season where the Blues were ranked as high as No. 2 in the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) D-III poll The 2016-2017 Blues won the postseason NWC tournament allowing an automatic berth into the Division III National Tournament, where their season ended in the Elite 8. Former player Korin Baker graduated in 2025 becoming the program’s All-Time leading scorer and rebounder, a three-time Northwest Conference Player of the Year and a three-time All-Region and All-American honoree. Ferenz has coached several players who continued their playing careers as professionals overseas including Jenele Peterson (2012), Emily Rommel (2018), Mady Burdett (2020), Makana Stone (2020) and Carly Martin (2025) Ferenz marked history on January 13, 2024 claiming her 400th career coaching victory Ferenz became the winningest women’s basketball coach in Northwest Conference history with 362 wins on February 18, 2022. Led team to a program record of 31 wins in 2013-2014 and became the winningest coach in Whitman women’s basketball history where she was also named NWC Women’s Basketball Coach of the Year, her third such honor. The Blues completed the 2013-14 season with Ferenz leading the team into the championship game of the NCAA tournament. Whitman completed the regular season with a perfect 25-0 mark and claimed the No. 1 ranking in the D3hoops.com poll. Other Coaching Experience Head coach, Okanogan High School Girls’ Basketball Overall record of 162-56 in nine seasons Led her teams to the Class A State Tournament three times Twice named the Caribou Trail League Coach of the Year Playing Career Played at Eastern Montana College (now MSU-Billings) Claimed second team all-conference her senior season and honorable mention her junior campaign, averaging double figures in scoring both seasons First Team Academic All-Conference her senior year Played at Highline Community College Averaged 18 points per game, leading her team to consecutive North Region crowns Twice named First Team all-conference and was the league’s 1988 all-star game’s MVP Personal Resides in Walla Walla with her husband Chris Ferenz, Athletic Director at Walla Walla High School who is also a volunteer assistant with the Whitman women’s basketball team, and has three children, Robert, Mikayla and Kathryn. Mikayla finished as the all-time leading scorer (2,466 pts.) for the University of Idaho women's basketball program and the all-time leading scorer in the history of the Big Sky Conference.  She is one of six women in NCAA history to post 400 career three-pointers, finishing with 415. She retired after six seasons of professional basketball in Luxembourg.  Son Robert is a graduate of Washington State University and works in the agriculture industry. Kate played at Walla Walla Community College for two seasons before moving on to Carroll (Mont.) College, graduating in 2020 with a degree in Nursing.

Marnie Ketelsen joined the Whitman College women’s basketball staff in the summer of 2015 as a volunteer assistant and was promoted to full-time assistant in June 2017. Prior to joining the Blues' staff Ketelsen headed the women’s basketball program at Walla Walla University, twice earning the department’s coach of the year award in her two years at the helm of the Wolves. A 2009 graduate of Western Washington University, Ketelsen utilized her Bachelor of Arts degree in human services and minor in Spanish across the world. During her undergraduate days Ketelsen studied at the Universidad of Sevilla in Seville, Spain, for a semester. After graduation she spent time working in Kigoma, Tanzania; Sumpango, Guatemala; Montego Bay, Jamaica, and Puebla, Mexico. Her many travels included humanitarian work for Hope of the Nations, Embracing Orphans, Athletes in Action, and Living Water. During her time in Puebla, Mexico, she coached and served the athletes at Universidad de las americas Puebla (UDLAP) for 2 years. Upon returning to the States, she completed her Masters in coaching and athletic administration from Concordia (Calif.) University–Irvine. Here she and her husband are raising their three children.

Chris Ferenz joined the Whitman women's basketball coaching staff ahead of the 2001-02 season and has been a part of the successes of his spouse and Whitman's head coach Michelle Ferenz. Originally from the Bay Area in California, Ferenz played his high school ball there before playing at UC Davis in California. He then played pro ball in Australia and Europe, coaching at Pennsylvania’s Swarthmore College in the offseason. He eventually ended up at MSU-Billings as an assistant coach while working on his masters degree. Outside of coaching he is the dean of students and faculty member for the Walla Walla Public Schools.  

Ali Martinez joined the Whitman College women’s basketball staff in the summer of 2023. Prior to coaching at Whitman, she coached at DeSales Catholic high school the past few seasons. Coach Martinez has played at multiple different levels in her career, but is looking forward to stepping more into the realm of coaching under Coach Ferenz and her staff.  Outside of basketball Ali is a mom, local flower farmer/florist, and involved with Walla Walla Catholic Schools.