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A RESOLUTION honoring Transylvania University women's basketball Associate 1
Head Coach Hannah Varel, 2024 Women's Basketball Coaches Association National 2
Assistant Coach of the Year. 3
WHEREAS, Hannah Varel, the Associate Head Coach for the Transylvania 4
University women's basketball team, was recently named by the Women's Basketball 5
Coaches Association (WBCA) as the 2024 National Assistant Coach of the Year for the 6
National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III level; and 7
WHEREAS, the award is presented annually to an assistant coach based on their 8
commitment to their program, student-athletes, and head coach; their impact coaching on 9
court; their mentorship and impact on other coaches; and their professional manner and 10
attitude; and 11
WHEREAS, the award is another in a series of recognitions received by Hannah 12
Varel, who was a WBCA "Thirty Under 30" honoree in 2023, identifying her as one of 13
30 up-and-coming women's basketball coaches under the age of 30 at all levels of the 14
collegiate game; and 15
WHEREAS, Hannah Varel is graduate of the University of Missouri, where she 16
earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Accountancy while playing club 17
basketball; and 18
WHEREAS, Hannah Varel became a certified public accountant after graduation, 19
and, while working for an accounting firm, Varel gained coaching experience as an 20
assistant women’s basketball coach at Columbia High School in Columbia, Missouri, 21
from 2015 through 2018; and 22
WHEREAS, after two years as an assistant coach at Hanover College, Hannah 23
Varel joined the coaching staff at Transylvania; and 24
WHEREAS, since joining the Pioneers in the 2020-2021 season, Hannah Varel has 25
helped the Pioneers win four consecutive Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference 26
Championships while helping lead the team to three straight undefeated regular seasons, 27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 24 RS BR 2477
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three Elite Eight appearances, back-to-back NCAA Final-Four appearances, and the 2023 1
National Championship; and 2
WHEREAS, Transylvania women’s basketball Head Coach Juli Fulks says of 3
Hannah Varel, "Hannah is an exceptionally hardworking coach with a natural ability to 4
connect with players on and off the court. She understands what championship basketball 5
requires and is an excellent addition to our staff and basketball family."; 6
NOW, THEREFORE, 7
Be it resolved by the Senate of the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of 8
Kentucky: 9
Section 1. The members of the Senate join Senator Reginald Thomas in saluting 10
the Hannah Varel, Associate Head Coach for the Transylvania University women's 11
basketball team, upon the occasion of her being named the 2024 WBCA National 12
Assistant Coach of the Year, applauding the outstanding work she has done with the 13
Pioneers, and wishing her good fortune in all future endeavors. 14
Section 2. The Clerk of the Senate shall transmit a copy of this Resolution to 15
Senator Reginald Thomas for presentation to Hannah Varel. 16