Burford promoted to head women’s basketball coach

Nicole Burford has been promoted to head women's basketball coach, according to announcement by Athletic Director Heather Bateman. She replaces Bateman, who decided to step down from her coaching duties and concentrate on her athletic director role.

For the last three years, Burford was an assistant coach for the team, as well as an assistant track coach and instructor in the Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Sport department. Prior to joining the Olivet staff in 2007, she was an assistant women's basketball coach and instructor of physical education at Kalamazoo College. Her basketball background also includes serving as a coach and counselor for summer camps at Kalamazoo, Kalamazoo Valley Community College, Michigan State University, Oberlin (Ohio) College, University of Tennessee and University of Virginia.

Burford earned a bachelor's degree from Oberlin in 2005 and a master's degree from Western Michigan University in 2007. As a student at Oberlin, she was a three-year letterwinner on the basketball team. Burford earned 2005 second-team All-North Coast Athletic Conference honors, as she ranked among the league leaders in assists, rebounding and scoring.