Olivia Besancon

Biography

Olivia Besancon, a Wayne County star who helped nearby Smithville High School to two state semifinalist appearances, has served as The College of Wooster's head women's basketball coach since Aug. 26, 2024. Besancon brought six years of collegiate coaching experience to the College, including four as a NCAA Div. III assistant. Most recently, Besancon spent three seasons at Muskingum University, where she was heavily involved with recruiting, game preparations, travel logistics, and game strategy. At Muskingum, she helped lead a robust community service program, was active with team fundraising efforts, and conducted academic progress checks with team members. Prior to Muskingum, Besancon was an assistant coach at Heidelberg University and started her coaching career at Malone University as a graduate assistant. As a player, Besancon was a second-team All-Ohio Athletic Conference selection as a senior at Muskingum and a four-year starter and three-year captain who scored 1,000 points for the Fighting Muskies. In high school, she helped Smithville to three Wayne Country Athletic League championships and was part of a program that went 95-9. Besancon earned a bachelor's degree in business management and marketing from Muskingum and an MBA from Malone.