LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Chancellor Dugan has signed a multi-year extension to remain the head coach of the Bellarmine University women's basketball team, director of athletics Scott Wiegandt announced Friday.

The 2024-25 campaign will mark Dugan's 13th guiding the Knights. She ranks third in program history with 171 wins and has been another cornerstone in the head-coaching legacy of the program, which has seen only six head coaches since its 1971-72 inception.

"Coach Dugan is one of the most successful head coaches in the history of our women's basketball program, and I'm thrilled to announce she'll lead our sideline for more years to come," Wiegandt said. "Chancellor restored the program to national prominence and championship-level success in Division II, and the program has steadily made strides toward gaining a foothold in Division I and the Atlantic Sun Conference under her direction. I am confident that progress will continue for our budding program in the NCAA's highest level."

Dugan shepherded Bellarmine through the aforementioned transition to Division I in 2020-21. The Knights were a D2 program in her first eight seasons, and she built a record of 143-85 overall and 87-59 in the Great Lakes Valley Conference during that span.

Bellarmine was coming off a pair of sub-.500 seasons when Dugan was hired. She orchestrated an immediate turnaround, as the Knights went 19-11 in her first year.

Dugan would subsequently push Bellarmine to its first-ever GLVC Tournament title in 2016, when the Knights tied a program record for winning percentage (.857) after going 24-4. She led Bellarmine to a second straight appearance in the NCAA II Tournament in 2016-17 as the team finished 22-8.

"I'm very excited about the future of the program," Dugan said. "We have built a very solid foundation through the transition to D1. I want to thank Scott and (Athletics Chief Operating Officer) Pam (Stackhouse) and (President) Dr. (Susan) Donovan for their unwavering support."   

Bellarmine made another appearance in the GLVC Tournament finals in 2019. The Knights advanced to at least the semifinals of the conference tournament in four of the program's last five years in D2. Just ahead of the D1 move, Bellarmine recorded 18 wins in 2019-20, the fourth time in eight seasons under Dugan in which the Knights posted 18 victories or more.

In Dugan's tenure, Sarah Galvin was named a D2 All-American in 2016-17. Between the GLVC and ASUN, Bellarmine has amassed two conference Freshman of the Year accolades, 15 All-Conference awards and 111 conference Honor Roll laurels in her time.

Bellarmine earned a berth in the ASUN Tournament in 2023-24. In the final week of the regular season, the Knights defeated eventual four-seed Lipscomb 80-74 and eventual seven-seed Austin Peay 76-71. Bellarmine also captured a notable 64-52 road win over Stetson, the eventual two-seed.

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