Franklin College alum Jessica Darmelio was tabbed as the as the new head coach of the women's basketball program ahead of the 2022-23 season.
Year two under Darmelio saw the Grizzlies make the leap to 17 wins, the most for a Franklin team since 2019-20. The Grizzlies earned the #4-seed in the HCAC tournament, with Darmelio collecting the first post-season win of her career in a thrilling win against Rose-Hulman in the tournament's opening round. Franklin finished the year as the league's top scoring team at 75.2 points per game, a number that ranked 21st in all of Division III. The Grizzlies also led the league in rebounding per game at 42.3, defensive rebounds per game at 29.3 and bench points per game at 34.1 with the final number ranking fifth nationally.
Additionally, Jordan Coon and Taylor Cooney picked up all-conference honors, with Coon earning First Team All-HCAC and Cooney collecting honorable mention. Both players were also rewarded for their work in the classroom, earning CSC Academic All-District honors.
In her first season at the helm, Darmelio helped guide rookie guard Jordan Coon to HCAC Newcomer of the Year honors. Her first head coaching win came on Nov. 19 in a 77-54 road victory over Principia and she added the first conference win to her resume with a 58-51 home win over Defiance on Dec. 3.
Darmelio took over the program following a tenure at nearby Marian University, where she helped guide the Knights to a 30-win season in 2021-22 and a trip to the NAIA National Tournament.
She made her foray into the college coaching world ahead of the 2021-22 season as part of Steve Brooks' staff at Marian as the lead assistant. The Knights finished in the top-25 in the NAIA in both offensive and defensive scoring, winning three games in the national tournament. Darmelio assisted in all aspects of the program during her time with the Crossroads League regular season champs.
Prior to joining Marian's staff, Darmelio was a mainstay in the Indiana high school coaching world, serving as head coach at Perry Meridian High School (2020-21), Martinsville High School (2018-20) and Clinton Prairie High School (2015-18). Each stop saw her teams enjoy success both on and off the floor, with her final season at Perry Meridian culminating in a trip to the sectional championship in 2021.
Darmelio completed her Bachelor of Arts degree in Secondary Education at Franklin in 2014, moving into the coaching world after graduation.
