Wheeling University Athletics

Anna Kowalska enters her third season as Head Coach of the Wheeling University Women's Basketball team during the 2024-25 season and has a career record of 32-26 overall and 24-18 in MEC play. She became the 13th head coach at Wheeling University in the history of the program on May 23, 2022.

In year two, the Cardinals continued to grow under Kowalska, and saw a four win improvement from the previous season. Kowalska led her team on a historic run to start the year, as they went 8-0 to get off to the best start in program history. They entered the MEC Tournament as the #5 seed and would once again take on the University of Charleston in their first round tournament match. Kowalska had her second straight First Team All-MEC honoree when Shamia Strayhorn took home the honor for the first time in her collegiate career.

During her first season at the helm, Kowalska helped lead the Cardinals to a 14-15 record overall, including a 12-10 mark in MEC play, that was a six-win improvement over the prior year. They earned a first round bye in the MEC Tournament, before facing the #3 seeded University of Charleston in the quarterfinals before bowing out. Under Kowalska's watch, Shamia Strayhorn and Lauren Calhoun each took home All-MEC honors, with Calhoun being named an All-Region player for the second time in her career.

Kowalska ventured to the former capitol of West Virginia after spending one season as the head coach at Life University (2021-2022) following previous coaching stints at West Virginia Tech (2018-2021 as head coach, 2013-2018 as assistant coach), Kent State University (2011-2012 Director of Basketball Operations), and as the Graduate Assistant at Kent State University (2009-2011).

Kowalska spent one successful season as the head coach of Life University. She took over the program in 2021 and led the Running Eagles to 6 overall wins and 2 conference wins, the most in two seasons. In her only year at Life University, Kowalska also raised the team GPA from 2.2 to 3.3 GPA overall.

Prior to taking the reins at Life, Kowalska had and impressive three-year stint at the NAIA level as the head coach at West Virginia Tech in Beckley, West Virginia. She brought the Golden Bears to national prominence in just her first season at the helm of the program in 2018-2019, leading them to a 24-10 record which was a 6-win improvement from the previous year. The Golden Bears also went 16-1 in conference play earning the regular season conference title and went on to win the River States Conference Tournament as well, thus earning their first NAIA Tournament bid in program history. That season Kowalska’s Golden Bears were top five in both offensive and defensive scoring. Kowalska coached a first-team all-conference pick and a second-team all-conference pick to go along with an honorable mention NAIA All-American.

In her second year, the Golden Bears entered the 2019-2020 season as the conference’s preseason No.1 team and went on to a 25-7 record winning the regular season title and once again being top five in both offensive and defensive scoring categories. The Golden Bears qualified for their second consecutive NAIA Tournament and upset #3 in the country Morningside to advance to the Sweet 16 for the first time in program history before being shut down by COVID. Again, the Golden Bears had a pair of all-conference selections to go along with an honorable mention NAIA All-American.

During her third year, Kowalska’s Golden Bears entered the 2020-2021 season once again as the conference’s preseason No.1 team and went on to a 12-9 record navigating the COVID challenges. Despite the challenges, the Golden Bears won the River States Conference Tournament yet again and earned their third consecutive NAIA Tournament bid. The Golden Bears had a pair of first-team all-conference selections, the River States Conference Player of the Year, and an honorable mention NAIA All-American.

Kowalska also earned a spot on the NAIA Coach of the Week list in 2020 as the only head coach to appear on this exclusive list on program history.

Before her head coaching career, Kowalska served as an assistant coach at West Virginia Tech during the 2013-2018 seasons where she had many important roles including recruiting coordinator, director of scouting, strength and conditioning, video coordinator, and player development.

Kowalska had a standout playing career at John A. Logan Junior College and as a Golden Flash of Kent State University where she graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Teaching English as a Second Language and a master’s degree in Sports Administration.

As a Golden Flash, the forward earned many accolades including: Academic All-MAC Team (2008 & 2009), All-MAC First Team (2009), All-MAC Third Team (2008), five-time MAC player-of-the-week, and the Golden Flash Award (highest team award) and MVP. In her senior year, Kowalska led the Golden Flashes in many categories - points per game (16.1), rebounds per game (8.1), blocked shots per game (1.8), field-goal percentage (53.3), and free-throw percentage (75.4). Kowalska is also a member of the 1,000-point club for her career. A native of Zdunska Wola, Poland, Kowalska has also held positions such as assistant to the athletic director (six years) and head volleyball coach (three seasons) while at West Virginia Tech.

She is married to Assistant Coach Nicholas Kjaerholt and they have two sons, Noah and Kylo.