From University of Chicago Athletics
Head Women's Basketball Coach Carissa Sain Knoche announced on Friday that Michelle Bilek has been hired as a full-time assistant women's basketball coach for the University of Chicago.
"We are so excited to have Michelle join us at Chicago," said Sain Knoche. "Her experience is a dream for this position as she has worked solely at prestigious universities, she has coached in the UAA, and she was a member of a national championship team in 2012. She has an understanding of what it takes to win in our league and in our region and we look forward to adding her perspective."
Bilek brings familiarity with the University Athletic Association (UAA). She arrives at UChicago after spending the 2017-18 season as an assistant coach at fellow conference school New York University. This past season, the Violets posted an 18-11 overall record. Bilek also coached and mentored All-American guard Kaitlyn Read, who was picked as the Jostens Trophy winner as well as the UAA Player of the Year.
Prior to her experience at NYU, Bilek served as the Director of Basketball Operations at Columbia University from 2013-17. Her wide breadth of responsibilities included travel arrangements, team equipment, budgeting, academic liaison, community service, summer camps, filming and special events.
Bilek spent seven summers as a basketball camp counselor as well. The Mount Prospect, Ill. native worked camps hosted by Loyola Academy, Trinity High School and Northwestern University.
As a collegian, Bilek played four years of basketball for Illinois Wesleyan University. She was part of the Titans squad that reached the NCAA Final Four in 2011 and won the NCAA Division III national championship in 2012. She was picked as a team captain in her senior season.
Bilek graduated from IWU in 2013 with a bachelor's degree in interdisciplinary education – child and family studies.
"I am very excited to join Coach Sain Knoche and the women's basketball program at the University of Chicago," Bilek said. "I have great respect for the standard of excellence that has been created, and l am looking forward to helping the student-athletes achieve their goals. UChicago is an elite academic institution, and I am so grateful for the opportunity to be a part of it."