ANN ARBOR, Mich. — J. Ira and Nicki Harris Family Head Women’s Basketball coach Kim Barnes Arico announced the addition of four-time Olympian Natalie Achonwa to the Michigan women’s basketball staff as the assistant coach for player development.
“We are so excited to add Natalie to our staff,” Barnes Arico said. “One of the most decorated basketball players in Canadian history, Natalie has been successful at every level of basketball. It’s so beneficial for our student-athletes to be around and learn from women who have achieved what they want to achieve, like playing in the WNBA and at the international level. She is an unbelievable leader who has such a high basketball IQ. Our players will be able to learn so much from her and we are thrilled she is joining us in Ann Arbor.”
Achonwa most recently competed at the Olympics for Canada, serving as captain of the national team, alongside freshman Syla Swords. It marked the fourth Olympic appearance for Achonwa, the most ever by a Canadian basketball player. She played in 79 career games for the senior national team, the second-most in Canada women’s basketball history. She led Canada to the 2015 FIBA AmeriCup championship — Canada’s first gold medal at the event in 20 years — and the 2015 Pan American Games championship — Canada’s first-ever gold at the PanAm Games. Achonwa ended her national career ranked first in assists in Canada women’s basketball history at the Olympic Games with 43.
After being drafted by the Indiana Fever ninth overall in the 2014 Draft, Achonwa played nine years in the WNBA and six seasons overseas. She played with the Fever from 2015-2020, earning a spot on the 2015 WNBA All-Rookie Team. Achonwa was the recipient of the 2019 WNBA Community Assist Award and the 2020 Dawn Staley Community Leadership Award before joining the Minnesota Lynx 2021-2023.
Achonwa also served on the WNBA Players Association Executive Committee for two terms, totaling four years.
A four-year letterwinner at Notre Dame (2011-14), she earned All-America third-team honors by the Associated Press as a senior. Upon graduation, she ranked 12th all-time in scoring (1,546), third in games played (145), fourth in rebounding (970), fifth in double-doubles (28) and sixth in field goal percentage (.562). She graduated from Notre Dame in 2014 with a degree in management-consulting from ND’s Mendoza College of Business.