GUNNISON, Colo. – Western State Colorado University's Director of Athletics Jason Carmichael and Western Executive Vice President Brad Baca are excited to announce the hiring of Lora Westling as the next Head Women's Basketball Coach. Westling will be the 10^th women's basketball coach in Western program history.
 
"I am thrilled to be the Head Coach at Western State Colorado University," Westling said. "From the moment I stepped foot on campus, it became obvious that this is a very special place."
 
Fans, alumni and friends of Western are all invited to a meet and greet with Coach Westling on Friday, April 29 from 5 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. at Blue Table in Gunnison. It will be a chance to meet and welcome Westling to the Western family.
 
Prior to Western, Westling spent the past three seasons as head coach of Illinois College's women's basketball program.

In her first season as head coach of the Lady Blues, Westling guided the team to a five-win improvement in both its overall and MWC records. The Lady Blues followed that in 2014-15 with their first trip to the MWC Tournament in five seasons. Under Westling's guidance, Hannah McGinnis won back-to-back Midwest Conference Player of the Year awards and was a Capital One Academic All-America as a senior.

Westling, a native of Casper, Wyoming, earned a bachelor's degree from Washburn University in 2005. She earned her MBA from Washburn in 2007. Westling was a standout member of Washburn's women's basketball and women's soccer teams, helping the school's basketball team to a Division II national championship in 2005. She finished her career as Washburn's all-time leader in three-pointers made (144) and games played (132).

Westling got her start in coaching at Washburn, where she served as an assistant women's basketball and women's soccer coach. She has also coached women's basketball as an assistant at the University of Missouri-St. Louis from 2007-10 and Truman State University from 2010-13.
 
"I am looking forward to building a program that is not only exciting to watch on the floor, but that graduates high achieving young women, and serves the Gunnison community with pride," Westling remarked. "I would like to thank Jason Carmichael, Jill Mahoney, the Western administration and the search committee for the opportunity to lead the program."